Sarnia-Lambton's eighth annual 'Walk a Mile' event to end gender-based violence, is set for this Saturday at Lambton Mall.
The local Women's Interval Home is welcoming everyone to attend this year's walk, which gets going at noon. In the past, the event has followed the traditional structure of being a men's march.
Fundraising and Marketing Strategy Coordinator Kyla Goodhand said the goal is to raise at least $10,000 for the interval home.
"One of our biggest needs currently is transitional housing. The increase in market rent prices and lack of affordable housing is a very big challenge that our residential and non-residential clients are facing. We are working with the Housing and Homelessness Advisory Committee to find solutions for this growing issue."
Goodhand said this year's walk will be a physical representation of dismantling barriers and unlocking new ways forward to come together as a community.
"We are changing things up a bit this year by partnering with local artist Mary Abma, who specializes in community engaged artwork. The walk itself is performative art, which we named the Fence Project. The goal is to engage community members in a thought-provoking performance that reflects upon things that contribute to gender-based violence, as well as barriers that people face that affect people’s overall wellbeing in society."
Goodhand said those interested in taking part can either register as a single walker, or as a team of at least six people.
"We are hoping to have more than 100 participants and we do not have a set limit as to how many can take part in the event. We will follow COVID-19 safety guidelines with Lambton Mall hosting this event in person."
Goodhand said this year's event also features a virtual option, for two reasons.
"First, we wanted allow participants to easily fundraise online virtually. The last time we ran 'Walk a Mile' was pre-COVID and the old method of collecting cash donations is now a bit dated in 2021. The second reason is to allow for community members to register and participate virtually if they cannot make it in person the day of the event."
For more information about registration, click here.
The Women’s Interval Home provides 24 hours emergency and short-term shelter, support, individual and group counselling, transitional services, and child witness counselling services to survivors' of domestic violence. Goodhand said all of the home's services are 100 per cent free of charge and this is made possible by fundraising events such as Walk a Mile.
