PORT TOWNSEND — When Jeannie Ramsey was looking to promote the sixth annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event, she contacted the Seattle Seahawks and asked if quarterback Russell Wilson would make an appearance at the event, which takes place Wednesday.
“We knew it was a long shot,” Ramsey, the walk coordinator, said.
“But you never know unless you ask.”
Though short of that initial goal, Ramsey’s request wasn’t fruitless as the team ended up sending Ramsey a football autographed by kicker Steven Hauschka that will be used as a raffle prize Wednesday to support Dove House, a local facility that helps victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
The walk is part of an international effort where men are encouraged to wear high heels for a spell in order to raise awareness of rape, sexual assault and domestic violence.
Registration for the event begins at 5:30 p.m. at Rotary Park next to the ferry terminal, after which time those assembled will don the shoes and walk just under a half mile to the Cotton Building at 607 Water St.
At that time, refreshments will be served along with speeches from figures including Dove House Executive Director Beulah Kingsolver and Jefferson County Sheriff David Stanko.
Stanko’s predecessor Tony Hernandez participated in every Walk a Mile event since the 2010 debut but did not wear women’s shoes as Stanko is planning.
Aside from the speeches, an auction and a raffle will attempt to raise money to support Dove House.
Ramsey said that $2,000 to $3,000 has been raised at the event over the past two years, but the money isn’t the point.
“We are looking to raise awareness about sexual assault,” Ramsey said of the event.
“Since we started it has made us visible to more women who may be victims, and there are hardly any people in this community who don’t know what Dove House does.”
Dove House, located at 1045 10th St. near Jefferson Healthcare, has a $560,000 budget that covers emergency shelter and food, client support services, therapy, advocacy, transportation and everything else that a client needs to move forward, according to Development Director Tina Burlingame.
During its most recent fiscal year that ended in 2014, Dove House served 433 clients and provided 3,159 bed nights, of which 1,151 were for children and 2,008 for adults.
Burlingame said that 14 percent of the clients were male.
“It’s not just women who are victims,” Burlingame said.
“The statistics for male sexual assault victims are increasing because men are starting to talk about it and they now have a safe place to go.”
For more information, phone Dove House at 360-385-5292.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
