Walk with Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region on Saturday, November 19th, 2022 for Voices Empower: Walk to Break the Silence in recognition of Woman Abuse Prevention Month.
Step 1: Register!
Choose from Individual, Team or Corporate Participation
Step 2: Share Your Story!
Tell us why you’re walking and post on social media to help raise awareness
Step 3: Walk to Break the Silence
Join us Saturday, November 19th
About the Event
Every year, Women’s Crisis Services hosts an event to raise awareness and funds during Woman Abuse Prevention Month. During COVID-19, domestic violence increased and escalated, and rates of femicide hit an all-time high.
While we are seeing the pandemic climate shift from previous years, it continues to be an especially difficult time for women facing domestic violence. As you know, domestic violence has increased and escalated, and rates of femicide have drastically increased.
In 2021, there was a 26 per cent increase in femicides compared to the previous year, and in the first six months of 2022 alone, 88 femicides have been reported. We must continue raising awareness and funds to prevent these tragedies from happening.
This November, we invite you to join in Voices Empower: Walk to Break The Silence. Join us November 19th at 11am, as we will be walking roundtrip from Uptown Square, Waterloo to Carl Zehr Town Square, Kitchener. This 6km walk is a time to reflect on the woman who is killed every six days by an intimate partner. We encourage you to get a team together, wear your best purple outfit, and walk to show your support for women and children experiencing domestic violence.
Exciting news! We are so excited to announce that the grand prize for this year’s Voices Empower is a 7 night stay in a beautiful, two bedroom condo in the heart of Mont Tremblant! For every $1000 you raise your name will be entered to win! The winner will be chosen on November 19th during the event.
Event Itinerary
- 10:30 – Registration begins at Waterloo Town Square
- 11:00 – Greetings
- 11:15 – Walk towards Carl Zehr Square begins
- 12:00 – Arrive at Carl Zehr Square as Juneyt performs
- Lunch served by The Funnel Cloud Food Truck
- 12:15 – 12:45 – Survivor Stories
- 1:00 – Walkers march back to Waterloo Town Square
Lunch will be provided by:
THE FUNNELCLOUD Food Truck
Walking Route
Quick Facts & How YOU Can Help
Every 6 days in Canada, a woman is killed by her intimate partner.
- Walk 6 km on November 19th to honour the many women we have lost to femicide.
Purple is the official domestic violence colour.
- Wear purple to show your support for women and children experiencing domestic violence.
It costs $100 to provide one day of care to a woman and children in shelter.
- Register your team and encourage each team member to raise $100 each to support women and children living in shelter.
How to Participate
Join us for the walk from Uptown Square in Waterloo on Saturday, November 19th at 11am! All you need to do is create your fundraising page to get started. Sign up, collect pledges, wear your best purple outfit, and walk 6 kilometre to help break the silence and show support for women and children experiencing domestic violence. There’s no registration fees, or fundraising minimums — so please join us Saturday, November 19th! We cannot wait to come together as a community and show our support!
While we would love to see you all in person this year, you are welcome to walk 6km with your team on your own as well. Make sure to dress in purple and send us pictures!
Individual
Fundraise on your own! Create a personal fundraising page to share your story, set a goal and encourage your supporters. Connect with other participants walking for Voices Empower: Walk to Break the Silence by using #VoicesEmpower on social media.
Team
Recruit a team of friends and family to join you on the walk. Keep each other motivated by setting team goals for your fundraising and your fitness! Plus, enjoy a great day outside and get the whole family involved parents, kids and pets! We need YOU to help raise awareness for those experiencing domestic violence.
Corporate
Rally your coworkers for a team-building experience that you can do together (while social distancing of course!) by committing to all do 6km together. Ask coworkers for support in raising awareness and funds and post about your progress with #VoicesEmpower to be featured on our website
Rewards & Contests
Early Registration Contest
Register as an Individual, or as a Team and raise $100 by October 1st for a chance to win a WCSWR prize pack!
Top Individual Fundraiser Grand Prize
Top Team Fundraiser Prize Pack
Stay tuned! We’re currently seeking items or experiences to offer as a Team Prize Pack. If you’re interested in donating to our event, please contact our Fundraising Team at Fundraising@wcswr.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Participation
1. How do I participate in Voices Empower: Walk to Break the Silence?
To participate in Voices Empower: Walk to Break the Silence, all you need to do to get started is register online. You can review further instructions in the Registration section below on how to do this. Your first step is to decide how you will be participating: on your own, as the captain of a team, or with your organization.
Important dates to remember:
- Register and raise $100 by October 1st for a chance to win a prize
- Walk to Break the Silence: November 19th, 2022
Registration
1. How do I register for Voices Empower? What happens next?
It’s easy to register online today:
- Click ‘Register Now’ at the top of the page. You’ll be directed to our Canada Helps Event page.
- Choose to ‘Join a Team’, ‘ Create a Team’, or ‘Join as an Individual’
- Complete the registration form to access your personal fundraising page and/or team fundraising page
Our Canada Helps Event page is designed to enable you to have fundraising page for each family member to fundraise from their own networks, joined together as a ‘Team’. However, some families prefer to fundraise together and share one family page.
If you are participating with coworkers, we recommend choosing the ‘Team’ option when you join so that everyone involved in your initiative is able to manage their own personal fundraising page.
2. How do I join a team that already exists?
To join a team that is already registered, you will need to know the Team Name or the Team Captain’s Name to find them. From there, it’s simple:
- Click ‘Join a Team’ on the Homepage
- Or, search the Team Name or Team Captain’s Name on the Homepage
- Click the ‘Join this team’ button next to the correct search result
- Complete the registration form to access your personal fundraising page.
3. Is there a registration fee
There is no registration fee, or fundraising minimums to register for Voices Empower: Walk to Break the Silence. All participants are encouraged to create a personal fundraising goal and donate online via your personal fundraising page.
Fundraising
1. How do I fundraise? Is there a fundraising minimum?
Fundraising for Voices Empower: Walk to Break the Silence can be done from anywhere! There is no fundraising minimum required to participate. We are grateful for all your fundraising efforts and encourage you to share results throughout your experience.
2. What will you do with the funds that I raise?
All proceeds raised through Voices Empower: Walk to Break the Silence will support the women and children served at Women’s Crisis Services.
Donation
1. How do I make an online donation?
There are a couple of different ways you can donate. Participants are encouraged to create a personal fundraising page, and email that link to family and friends. This link will take you to the sender’s fundraising page. When you click on that link, you should be redirected to their page where you see a Donate button. Click ‘Donate Now’ and complete the form to make your donation.
You may also see a post on social media and the process is the same. Click on the link that’s included in the post, which should take you to the event or personal fundraising page. Click ‘Donate Now’, and complete the form to make your donation.
You can also visit our event webpage and click ‘Make a Donation’ at the top of the homepage. From there you can search for the person or team you wish to donate to you.
2. When will I receive my tax receipt?
All online donors will receive an official tax receipt to the email address provided when completing their donation. If you have trouble finding your tax receipt, please contact fundraising@wcswr.org.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Title Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Become a Sponsor
We are currently seeking event sponsors to help us reach our fundraising goal!
For more information, please review our Sponsorship Opportunities.
If you’re interested in sponsoring, please contact our Communications and Fundraising team – fundraising@wcswr.org