Not only is New Hampshire’s First Gentleman, Tom Hassan, suiting up for the Walk A Mile In Her Shoes event, but so are at least 100 others – and that number will expand by Oct. 1 when the walk kicks off.
If that is not enough, some great local entrepreneurs challenge you to step in and step out with these generous motivators.
Three Main Street shoe stores and a hair salon want you to Walk A Mile In Her Shoes. We all need to band together with the Crisis Center of Central N.H. to end domestic and sexual violence. The following merchants have some deals for you. We are grateful for their support – they are terrific. And, by the way, so is Tom Hassan – what a guy!
Sign up for the event at firstgiving.com/crisiscenterofcentralnh/wam for WAM’s Early Bird Special ($25 per person with T-shirt) and be eligible for these giveaways from loyal Main Street shoe stores – through Sept. 24 only. Euphoria’s offer is good for anyone, even if you don’t register – but come on, you really should join us. You can also join a team, form a team and do some fundraising of your own.
The aforementioned deals from downtown merchants include:
∎ Joe King’s, 45 N. Main St., 225-6012
20 percent off (MSRP)one pair of shoes
∎ Runner’s Alley, 14 N. Main St., 715-5854
$15 off one full priced pair of shoes and $10 off one full priced piece of apparel
∎ Simply Birkenstock, 8 S. Main St., 715-2259
10 percent off your entire purchase: shoes, sandals, hats, apparel
Joe Kings, Runner’s Alley and Simply Birkenstock will have a list of all registrants. To be sure your name is on the list, wait at least two days after you register before you shop.
Also getting in on the action is Euphoria Hair Salon. Purple hair extensions will help end domestic and sexual violence. Stop in for a purple hair extension during the month of September and the cost is $10, and owner Stacey Robitaille will donate that amount to the Crisis Center of Central NH’s WAM goal of enhancing their prevention and awareness programs for youth.
Call for an appointment, the hair extension will only take five minutes. You do not have to register for WAM to be eligible. Euphoria Hair Salon is at 59 Hall St. and can be reached at 226-0220.
So follow Tom Hassan’s lead and get involved for a good cause.
“Domestic and sexual violence affect every one of our communities. I am proud to support and participate in the Walk A Mile in Her Shoes event, which will help bring crucial awareness to these issues and help make our communities and families safer,” Hassan said.
The Walk a Mile In Her Shoes event is designed to invite men to get involved.
By donning a pair of heels, forming teams and marching on Main Street men have an opportunity to send a clear message; that these crimes are not acceptable, this behavior is NOT the norm. They will demonstrate that they ARE willing to wobble down Main Street in heels – out of their comfort zone, to be in solidarity with the crisis center’s goal of spreading the notion that the culture of blind acceptance of these crimes must change.
Men are our essential partners. National studies show that men, especially young men, are highly influenced by their peers. Having peers that seem to “tolerate “this behavior puts men at high risk of committing violence against women.
Institutions such as the military, colleges and universities that are currently in the headlines about significant rates of violence against members to not be bystanders.
We can start the change, one pair of high heels at a time. Most especially if those heels are sported by a man. Let’s talk about this issue of violence that is so under reported.
Could it be as easy as donning a pair of heels and parading down Main Street? Maybe not, but it is a start and that is all we need. And by the way, you don’t have to be a man to participate; everyone is encouraged to join us on October 1.
