A virtual three-day SafeWalk, the first weekend in October, marked the Danbury-based Women”™s Center 15th annual premier event that unites the community in a vision to end domestic violence and raise funds to support programs and services that are provided at no cost. More than $75,000, and still counting, was contributed through sponsorships, registrations and peer-to-peer fundraising. Hundreds of individuals on more than 40 teams ran, walked, hiked and creatively moved their way from across the greater Danbury area to Michigan, Virginia, New York, Washington, D.C., Maine and as far as California.
SafeWalk Chair Kathy Graham of Ridgefield said, ””¦ This was an important fundraiser because funds raised are critically needed to pay for the programs that are offered at no cost, 24/7, to help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. ”¦The Women”™s Center changes lives through crisis intervention, shelter, counseling, advocacy and education.”
For the first time, there was a pet registration option for pets to proudly wear their SafeWalk bandanas while walking with their families.
Marcia Nelson of Ridgefield, the three-time highest individual fundraiser, said, “”¦Isn”™t it a basic human right to want to be ”˜Safe at Home, School and Everywhere In Between?”™”
Fairfield County Bank”™s “Strength in Numbers” was the highest fundraising team for the third year in a row as was Newtown High School”™s “Girls Inspiring Girls.”
The Women”™s Center provides free and confidential services to prevent or lessen the trauma associated with domestic violence, sexual assault and other major life transitions to thousands of women, children and men annually. The programs of the Women”™s Center are supported by state and local government, area United Way agencies and the people and businesses in the communities it serves, including Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, Kent, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Sherman and Washington, Connecticut. The organization serves more than 30,000 individuals with free and confidential services that are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
