Rain not a damper on Walk a Mile

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Steve Gotts was one of nearly 70 walkers to participate in the Chatham-Kent Women’s Centre’s seventh annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event held Sunday at the Downtown Chatham Centre. The event highlighted the issue of violence against women and also raised nearly $25,000 to help fund the various programs the centre operates.
Steve Gotts was one of nearly 70 walkers to participate in the Chatham-Kent Women’s Centre’s seventh annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event held Sunday at the Downtown Chatham Centre. The event highlighted the issue of violence against women and also raised nearly $25,000 to help fund the various programs the centre operates.

Mother Nature may not have been on their side, but officials of the Chatham Kent Women’s Centre are labelling the seventh annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event a success.

For the second year in a row, the walk was held indoors at the Downtown Chatham Centre due to rain. Sixty-eight walkers participated in the event, which raises both funds and awareness of violence against women.

“I thought it was a fantastic day,” said Centre board president Darlene Smith. “When all of the totals are in, we maybe have raised $25,000, an increase from last year.”

Smith said support for the 32-bed facility is strong. “When you look back a few years, there were people who didn’t think a shelter was needed,” she said. “Now the community is aware of the importance of making sure women have a place of safety in times of crisis.”

Walkers donned red high heels and circled the mall three times, surrounded by crowds of cheering onlookers.

The donations support a 24-hour emergency crisis line, the beds used above the regularly funded beds, as well as other programming.

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