Are you ready? Our 2018 Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event — the eighth annual Walk, and first-ever at Offutt Field — was a smashing success! We had gorgeous weather, crisp and clear to start, with bright sun and warmer weather as our walkers made their way around the field. And about those walkers….we had 1,100 walkers at Offutt Field! Of those 1,100 walkers, 408 men joined us — including 210 men wearing high heels. We cannot thank you enough for your amazing support!
As in previous years, we had a noteworthy show of support from teams across Westmoreland County. We had a total of 42 teams attend this year’s Walk! Two in particular stood out in 2018:
Scalise Realty raised the most money, above and beyond team registration!
University of Pittsburgh of Greensburg had the biggest team, with a total of more than 140 walkers!
We thank all of the teams that participated in our Walk, including the many community, family, religious, school and business groups that continue to support us year after year. You are a huge part of our success!
Once again, our Fearless Advocacy for Men's Engagement (FAME) group played a significant role in the Walk. They staffed our Education tent, where walkers could learn about how genders norms hurt boys and men — and ultimately lead to violence against women. They also were stationed around the stadium as part of our scavenger hunt, talking to participants about how they can change many of these gender norms.
This event is truly a team effort. We were fortunate to have the support of dozens of volunteers who helped to make the Walk happen — setting up and taking down the event, checking in walkers, passing out flyers, making signs, handing out shoes and t-shirts and more. We also are grateful to our 2018 sponsors whose generous contributions allow us to host this event and to continue our work throughout the year. And of course, we are endlessly thankful to all of the 1,100 walkers who made our Walk an incredible success! This Walk is about the community committing to action to end gender-based violence, starting with educating themselves about gender norms and how they contribute to this type of violence. We see that commitment grow each year, and we know that it means that we are making a difference in Westmoreland County. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Of course, the opportunity to take action and give back to your community doesn’t have to end with the Walk. You can donate to, or volunteer for Blackburn Center throughout the year. You can also schedule a free training program for your school, workplace or organization. Finally, you can take what you learned at the Walk and put it into practice — take what you learned at our education tent about gender norms and how we can be part of the change, and put it into practice in your own life!
If you haven’t had the chance yet, check out our Facebook page to view pictures from the Walk, taken by the talented Stacey Louise Photography and Carey Busatto Photography, and be sure to tag yourself and your friends in team pictures and shots of the Walk itself.
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