Walk A Mile highlights domestic violence in support of Capella Centre

They want to know — are you “man” enough to strap on high heels in front of your peers?

The Capella Centre in St. Paul is hosting its annual Walk A Mile in Her Shoes campaign next Thursday before the LRA Finals rodeo weekend kicks off.

The fundraiser for the women’s shelter sees men fundraise in the days leading up to the “race” and to highlight the issue of domestic and family violence in the community.

Then on Thursday, Sept. 1 from 11:30am to 1:30pm, those who sign up in teams of four or individually will race in red high heel shoes to get the fastest time and be crowned the winner.

Everyone who pledges fundraising dollars to the campaign is also entered to win a prize.

“It sort of started as a movement to have men under kind of understand what women go through,” said Capella Centre director Andrea Myers. “Many organizations use it for different things, we use it from our lens that we support women and children fleeing domestic violence. So it’s for us at the fundraiser, as it is for most organizations that are a part of the Walk a Mile program,” she said. 

“In the last couple of years, it’s been one of our major fundraisers for the year.”

The Capella Centre since 1984 has served St. Paul and the surrounding area by providing support primarily to those getting out of domestic violence situations. They help victims to extricate themselves from these harmful situations with financial aid and programming.

“Our largest program, obviously, is the emergency shelter. We help families get into very often their independent living opportunity, their own home or accommodation, versus from being away from their offender necessarily. So we’re providing opportunities for families to find a safe place to stay…so they have a safety plan, and they have avenues to protect the safety of themselves and their children,” said Myers. 

“As of very late, we’re very, very busy. There’s really been an uptake in large in families of coming into the center.” 

With the need there, Capella is hoping to have a large number of men lend their support through the Walk A Mile campaign, which officially is the the International Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence.

It is being held in conjunction with the $2 Cornerstone Co-op Chili Cook-Off and Car Show.

Those interested are encouraged to contact the Capella Centre at 780-645-5132 or at director@capellacentre.ca.

“We’re looking for as many participants as are willing to take part in the event. We have lots of shoes, we’re gonna have quite a good team to get everybody coordinated. We can create teams on the spot. As much advance notice is great, then we can have everybody fully informed and ready to go before they hit the parking lot. So we’re looking forward to having quite a great group this year to participate.”