On April 13, 2024, we hosted our 13th annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event. Hundreds of community members filled St. Clair Park in Greensburg as we had cool, sunny weather after several days of wind and rain. It was an incredible morning of learning, raising awareness, and showing that our unity is our strength.
On the stage, we hosted a variety of activities that were created in collaboration with Seton Hill University’s Art Therapy Department and Blackburn Center’s Education team. This included an art project designed to highlight how beautiful and important unity truly is.
Elsewhere in the park, walkers could fuel up on coffee and donuts at our breakfast tent, generously provided by Starbucks, Sheetz and Shop ’n Save. They could also have their team picture taken by Skysight Photography — all while enjoying music provided by Savvy Sounds. You can check out all of the Walk pictures on our Facebook page!
At 10 a.m., we all gathered to listen to speakers musician, composer, and sound designer Bill Stankay, Dr. Terry DePasquale, Retired Associate Provost, Dean of Graduate and External Programs and Professor Emeritus of Education at Seton Hill University, Vice President/Secretary of Blackburn Center's Board of Directors, Dr. David Von Schlichten, Dean of the School of Humanities at Seton Hill University, and Al Thiel of the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. They explained the purpose of the Walk, led us in a moment of silence for victims and survivors of violence, and talked about how each of us can play a role in ending gender-based violence.
And with that, the Walk began! Our Walk was kicked off by a team from the Tuscano Agency, our underwriting sponsor. Our walkers (and a few runners!) marched down Maple Avenue, showing off their shoes — and their commitment to ending gender-based violence. Walkers carried signs and navigated through downtown Greensburg, with traffic assistance from Bikers Against Child Abuse.
This year, the walk route was decorated with red pinwheels by Survivors in Bloom. Led by Greensburg Salem High School student Rubee Stillwagon, these pinwheels represent the red tulips that will be planted to honor victims and survivors of gender-based violence in our communities.
This year, we welcomed many groups who came out to support the Walk. Stay tuned to learn who the top teams were in terms of size and fundraising!
We thank each person who came to the Walk, joined a team, walked as an individual, or donated to support our mission. We are also incredibly appreciative of the dozens of volunteers who helped make the Walk a reality.
Of course, the opportunity to raise awareness 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 an educational or training program for your school, workplace or organization. Finally, you can take what you learned at the Walk and put it into practice — coming together to help address the issue of gender-based violence and show that unity is strength!
