It started small – just a few people huddling together for warmth near the entrance to Central Elementary on a chilly morning. But then they started walking, and in the space of a few blocks their numbers swelled to dozens and then hundreds.
Last Thursday was the 11th annual Walk for Hope, organized by the Hope Haven Women’s Shelter. In total, 550 students, community members, and law enforcement officers marched through the town, promoting awareness of family violence and bullying in the community.
November also happens to be Family Violence Prevention Month in Alberta, which Hope Haven is using a chance to celebrate the positive initiatives in the community, said the organization’s executive director Cassie Putnam.
“Because it’s been a tough year for family violence and bullying, we’ve chosen to take a positive look at all the things that individuals and agencies are doing and can do to make a difference,” she said. “We’re looking at the positives because there are a lot of people who are making a difference.”
Local RCMP and peace officers made sure the streets were safe for the hundreds of students from Central Elementary, Dr. Swift, Vera. M Welsh. Putnam said that law enforcement have always supported the walk, but this year by far was the most police she’s seen at the event.
“The shelter has incredible community support,” she said. “And it’s not the norm in this province, by far. So it’s just an example of how this community works together.”
The massive mob marched through town, carrying handmade signs and dominating the sidewalks. Eventually, the group ended up at Portage College, where they listened to guest speakers and watched a movie created by Kikino School what ‘hope’ meant to them.
Lac La Biche RCMP Staff Sergeant Steve Visnoski told the students about his personal experiences with bullying, and the harmful effects it had on his schooling. Visnoski, who returned to the community after he was an RCMP officer in Lac La Biche 25 years ago, told the crowd he is often asked if violence in the community has gotten better since the 1980s.
“I tell them: no it hasn’t,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve made a big change, and it’s time to reflect on what that means.”
Visnoski said Hope Haven is a positive force in the community, one that comes to schools to educate on the realities of family violence and bullying.
“If you’ve grown up on violence, it’s hard to change your ways,” he said. “But where it can stop is with you guys. You have to decide that you don’t want to hurt people.”
Ultimately, Putnam said the annual Walk for Hope is a way to empower people to help end the cycle of violence in Lac La Biche.
“It’s about giving everybody a chance to stand up,” she said. “Everybody here is standing up and saying: ‘I don’t want to see bullying and violence in my community.’ It’s an awareness activity for sure for the shelter, but it’s bigger than that.”
