Walking a mile, pumps optional
About 300 take part in Walk a Mile in Her Shoes benefit for YWCA Crossroads shelter
Joseph Peterson has toddled in Walk A Mile in Her Shoes since shortly after taking his first steps.
Still under a year old at the time, Joseph held his dad’s hands for stability during the jaunt.
Now three years old, Joseph ran most of the way Friday.
About 300 participants in the Trent Valley Honda Walk a Mile in Her Shoes briefly took over downtown streets as they walked in support of the YWCA Peterborough Haliburton.
Funds from the event benefit the YWCA Crossroad Shelter, which provides refuge for women and children fleeing abuse.
A safe night of sleep at the shelter costs $45.96, above and beyond the government’s funding.
The goal this year was to raise enough money to cover 3,010 safe nights. That’s $138,339.
For the first time in the walk’s 10 years, participants had the option of wearing the red pumps or not. While some wore sneakers or sandals, many supporters chose to keep the tradition alive and strut the streets in red heels.
Joseph’s dad, Stephen Peterson, was one of the die-hard high heel walkers. He’d worn them for the last three events, so he figured he’d stick with it.
Meanwhile, Joseph sported a pair of red, Spiderman high tops and his mom, Danielle Tassie wore sandals.
Tassie joined her husband and son in the walk two years ago when women were welcomed to take part.
After becoming parents, Peterson said he and Tassie became more sensitive to the world around them, valuing security and safety in a new way. That’s what prompted him to sign up four years ago.
“Everyone needs a safe place to sleep,” said Peterson.
Sam Melo, 13, walked in the event for a third time Friday.
The teenager signed up with his mom, Vanessa Endicott, in mind. She grew up in a violent home, seeing her father abuse her mother.
When Endicott was telling her son about Walk a Mile a few years ago, Sam said he’d like to participate.
“He said, ‘I’ll do that for you mom,’” Endicott recalled.
The Bridgenorth mom joined her son in the walk last year and isn’t afraid to share their reason for walking.
“I try to be really vocal about it because I don’t want it to continue,” Endicott said.
Anne Arnold walked the streets with a heavy heart.
Twenty years ago, her cousin was murdered by her estranged husband.
Her cousin left Nova Scotia and moved to Whitehorse to be with her mother. A restraining order against her husband was already in place.
But he eventually found her and killed her, in front of their 18-month-old daughter.
In memory of her late cousin who died at 20, 20 years ago, Arnold pledged to raise enough money to fund 20 safe nights.
She met that goal Friday morning.
A year after her cousin’s murder, Arnold lost another cousin to a violent partner. The man beat her cousin and then set the house on fire.
Arnold walked with both her late cousins in mind Friday.
Over the last decade, Walk a Mile has raised more than $850,000 for Crossroads.