Hospitality House hosting virtual Walk A Mile

♦ While the candlelight vigil is canceled, the shelter has other fundraising events.

Hospitality House for Women has cancelled their annual candlelight vigil for Domestic Violence Awareness month after one of their shelter employees tested positive for COVID-19.

According to Director Lynn Rousseau, all staff is being tested at the moment, but to prevent any further spread, they made the decision to cancel the vigil.

The vigil itself is one of three events the non-profit hosts in October to raise money and awareness for domestic and intimate-partner violence.

The annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event will still go on this year, but instead it will be a virtual walking event.

Rousseau said they got the idea after Lowe’s Distribution Center employees were unable to participate in last year’s walk and they sent in a video of them walking in women’s shoes instead. The board decided to make the walk virtual this year so that people can still participate while following COVID-19 guidelines.

To participate, you must post a picture or video of yourself walking or running in “her” shoes or a pair of

women’s shoes. Post the photo or video on Facebook or Instagram using hashtag # Hhwalkamile2020, tag and check- in at Hospitality House or email lgrant@ hhfw. org so you can be featured in the event.

You can also make a contribution to Hospitality House on their website under “Get Involved” and “Donate.”

Local law enforcement agencies will be releasing their own videos of staff doing the walk since they usually come out “in masses” to participate.

The walk will launch Oct. 23 and run through Oct. 29.

The annual public meeting will be hosted over Zoom on Oct. 29 at 6 p. m., where the public is invited to participate and hear about some of the changes the nonprofit has made over the year, current services and nominate people to officer positions. The board will go into closed session at

the end of the meeting to vote for the new officers.

You can find the link to the Zoom meeting on Hospitality House’s Facebook page.