Members from the Grey Bruce Labour Council (blue shirts) and the Lucknow Kinsmen (red shirts) stepped in and stepped up to champion the end of violence against women.

Editor's note: The final tally is in and Women's House Serving Bruce and Grey raised just under $12,000 thanks to 39 walkers and their sponsors for their annual Walk a Mile Event.

Hub Staff

Approximately 35 walkers were ‘man enough’ to don a pair of red high heeled shoes for the Women’s House Serving Bruce and Grey’s (WHSGB) annual Walk a Mile fundraising event, May 29.

The event kicked off at the Queen’s Bar and Grill with food and drinks and opening ceremonies, before it proceeded with a walk through downtown Port Elgin, with honks and hollers from onlookers and passers-by.

The Bruce County Barbarians were the largest team to attend with a dozen or so walkers. Other groups in attendance included a Bruce B leadership team from Bruce Power, Saugeen Shores Police Service, the Lucknow Kinsmen and the Grey Bruce Labour Council.

As a way of gaining pledges, Leadership Bruce B donned their shoes for a time on Thursday morning and stood in the guard shack at shift change collecting pledges from Bruce Power employees.

Jeff Cronin from the Grey Bruce Labour Council said, “It’s really important that women get treated with fairness and the only way that that’s going to happen, I think, is to keep increasing awareness.” The group learned about the event from Tiffany Love, Community and Fund Development Coordinator, WHSGB, after having given a donation to Women’s House in honour of International Women’s Day.

The group’s fearless leaders, “the Narwhals”, made up of Kristen Jackson (left) and Devony House, did a stellar job of making sure the walkers had safe passage across Port Elgin’s downtown streets.

Byron House from Tiverton said he and his wife have been long time supporters of the Women’s House and he thinks “men have to take a bigger role in standing up for the rights of women and being against violence.” He added, “and my daughter and my wife, it’s personal.”

This was WHSBG’s fourth year hosting the event, with the first being a joint effort with the women’s shelter in Owen Sound. 2016 was the third year the event was held in Port Elgin and Queen’s Bar and Grill have played host, donating the space as well as food for all three of those years. “It’s a great event,” said Pier Donnini, owner of the Queen’s. “It’s a touchy subject... but it’s really, really important and they [Women’s House] serve so many women in the county that I just think it needs more attention, not less attention.” Donnini added, “they help real people in our community with real serious problems.”

Once all the walkers had registered and found a fitting pair of shoes, organizers had sizes 9 through 16 at the ready, Love got the opening ceremonies underway. “Each year men in Bruce County as well as men all over the world participate in this trademark walk. This walk is a pledge to end gender violence, sexual assault and rape,” Love said, adding that it was a “playful opportunity for men to raise awareness in their community and stand out as our day-to-day champions.”

Love had to take a breath before telling a story from their Hanover walk last year. A women, who had seen the men in red heels while driving through Hanover “decided to investigate”. Once she found out what the walk was all about, she decided to come back to the Queen’s Bush for the closing ceremonies and when the walker who had gathered the most in pledges was being announced for the top prize, she said, loudly enough for everyone to hear, that she would match whatever the walker had raised, “And she burst into tears.” Love said that if any of the men in attendance didn’t already know why they were there, “every man, at that second, knew why he was walking.”

Inspector Ken McCulloch from the Saugeen Shores Police Service offered some statistics, stressing the importance of the unfortunately necessary service the Women’s House provides. “In 2014 we had 58 domestic disputes that we responded to and in 2015 we had 65 domestic disputes that we responded to.” McCulloch reminded us that not all those ended in charges and that they’re “only the ones that get reported, not the ones that people are afraid to report.” McCulloch said that it was the support of the Women’s House that helps people to find the courage to come forward.

Love called the next speaker “one of our shining star walkers”. Chris Turcotte had been ‘man enough’ since WHSBG’s first walk in 2013 and this year, met his goal of a cumulative $5,000 in pledges. “I’m going to say that we need to get a little bit selfish and here’s why. Guys, as we walk today, we need to own this walk, we need to be loud, we need to be proud. We need to let people know that we’re not going to accept this anymore.” Turcotte then followed with a challenge to those in attendance to tell their friends why they were walking in hopes of doubling the number of walkers for 2017.

Steve Bell with the Bruce County Barbarians joked about changing the name of the event to “Hobble a Mile in her Shoes” but in all seriousness said that for the third year they were out to support a cause that, in his mind, shouldn’t exist. “There should be zero tolerance in everybody’s life for any of the aforementioned situations that lead to people needing shelter in the Women’s House.” Before leading the group outside to begin the walk, Bell led the crowd through three very enthusiastic cheers for the Women’s House and Queen’s Bar and Grill.

Following the walk, prizes were awarded for top individuals as well as top groups. Top individual went to Chris Turcotte, who this year raised over $1,740, and second went to Byron House whose pledges contributed $670.

The honours of top group went to Leadership Bruce B, having raised $3,541 and second went to the the Lucknow Kinsmen, who brought $1,570 to the cause.

Top prizes came from generous donations from Bruce Power, Queen’s Bar and Grill, Lake Huron Rod and Gun and Saugeen Golf Club.

Bruce Power’s Bruce B leadership team, left to right, Mike Hinchberger, Shannon Douglas, Pierre Pilon, Colin Morano, Paul Clark. The team took top group honours contributing $3,541 to the Women’s House Serving Bruce and Grey at Walk a Mile, the annual fundraiser, May 29.

Saugeen Shores Police Service were out in full force, led by Inspector Ken McCulloch (right) to ‘walk a mile’ and raise awareness for the issue of domestic and gender violence.

The Grey Bruce Labour Council showed off their shoes and signs at the Queen’s Bar and Grill before heading out to ‘walk a mile’. Left to right, Dave Trumble, Kevin Smith, Zack Cronin, Jeff Cronin.

The walkers were accompanied by two members from the Kincardine Scottish Pipe Band as they made their way up and down Goderich Street, May 29 for the Women’s House Serving Bruce and Grey fundraising event, Walk a Mile in her Shoes.