Earlier this month, The Pen Centre saw a parade of men marching in their highest heels in support of Gillian’s Place.
The walk that men from all around Niagara participated in was held on Oct. 17 for the 20th anniversary of the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: The International Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence.
“Walk a Mile plays a huge role in helping bridge the gap between what we receive from the ministry and what’s needed to sustain our services, ensuring women and children receive the support and safety they deserve,” said Graeme Dargavel, Director of Development and Communications of Gillian’s Place.
Gillian’s Place hosted the event, setting a high goal of $200,000 to keep four beds in women’s shelters open throughout the year, up from last year’s fundraising total of $151,000.
“We’re confident brave men will register, they’ll donate, they’ll fundraise […] and that people really dig deep for the causes they care about,” said Dargavel.
Participants were able to support the cause by either donating, walking as individuals or building a team.
Included in these teams was the BrockU PHE Canada Student Chapter, which built a team to not only walk, but fundraise as well.
After setting a fundraising goal of $400, the Brock club ended the event with $1755 raised, blowing their original estimate out of the water.
As the male members of the club took their walk, female members cheered them on. The organization showed their support for the cause not only through participation; members went all out, bringing signs stating, “Run Phe Run,” and “Heels High Standards Higher,” while sporting pink wigs.
The club took to Instagram expressing their gratitude for the event.
“A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO GILLIAN’S PLACE for hosting this amazing event and supporting such a meaningful cause! Your support makes a difference,” said the club.
The club was proud to show its support of the cause by standing alongside others fighting for awareness, solidarity and working towards an end to gender-based violence.
“As future educators, coaches, and physical and health educators, we believe we have an important role to play in creating safe, respectful, inclusive, and healthy communities,” said the club. “This event gives our members an opportunity to come together beyond campus, support an important local organization, and demonstrate our commitment to building safer communities for everyone.”
Beyond providing emergency shelter, Gillian’s Place offers counselling, safety planning, legal support and transitional housing for people experiencing gender-based violence. The organization also provides support to children and youth affected by abuse, helping survivors access resources as they work toward safety and stability.
The support of community members was shown in the final count of the fundraising efforts.
The event raised a record-breaking $195,000, bringing Gillian’s Place close to its $200,000 fundraising goal for the anniversary march. The organization said the funds will help move more women and children to safety, adding to the company’s $10 million raised in the last two decades of fundraising efforts.
With the money raised this year, the anniversary march brought Gillian’s Place closer to its goal while highlighting the role community fundraising plays in supporting survivors of gender-based violence across Niagara.