#08 Recognize YWCA's Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event (Res. #2009-634)
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE MEMORANDUM
August 21, 2009
TO: City Council
FROM:Thomas E. Malone, Management Analyst
SUBJECT: Action on a Proposed Resolution Supporting the YWCA’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes
Event to Stop Domestic Violence. (File Res. No. 2009-634)
Request
Council President Truman asked that a resolution regarding the YWCA’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes
event to Stop Domestic Violence be placed on the September 14, 2009 agenda.
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Council pass resolution 2009-634.
Suggested Motion
I move to approve file resolution 2009-634 to support the YWCA’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event to
Stop Domestic Violence.
Background
YWCA Rock County’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event began in 2007 as an advocacy event to raise
awareness of domestic and sexual violence issues in our community. It was a fun and powerful way
to get men and boys involved in being a part of the solution. The event has a simple concept: ask
men to wear high-heeled shoes and walk a mile in them. The first year the event had a handful of
participants. Last year there were nearly 100 participants who turned an advocacy event into a
fundraiser for the YWCA’s programs. Last year $35,000 was raised for the anti-violence
programming which provides walk-in services for victims, emergency shelter and safety, long-term
support, and transitional housing for survivors of physical, sexual, emotional, and other forms of
relationship violence..
The YWCA goal is to have 150 to 200 walkers participate in the event this year. The Walk a Mile in
Her Shoes event is scheduled for Friday, September 25, 2009. The location and route participants
will take has been moved from downtown Janesville to the Northeast side of the city. An agenda for
the day’s event can be found on the attached flyer from the YWCA of Rock County.
Jon Wangerin of the YWCA of Rock County will be present at the September 14 council meeting.
CC:
Eric Levitt, City Manager
Jacob J. Winzenz, Assistant City Manager/Director of Administrative Services
FILE RESOLUTION NO. 2009-634
A Resolution Supporting the YWCA’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Event to Stop Domestic
and Sexual Violence.
rd
WHEREAS
, the Rock County YWCA will host the 3 annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event
on Friday, September 25, 2009; and
WHEREAS,
the YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and
promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all; and
WHEREAS,
the YWCA believes in the importance of informing the world of the valuable
contributions men are making to stop sexualized violence; and
WHEREAS
, the goal of the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event is to co-create a United Gender
Movement in which men will be a part of the solution to ending sexualized violence; and
WHEREAS
, in 2008 nearly 100 participants joined the YWCA Walk a Mile in Her Shoes one
mile trek in high heels through Janesville; and
WHEREAS,
the YWCA Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event raised $35,000 in funds that went to
support the operations of anti-violence programming which provides walk-in services for
victims, emergency shelter and safety, long-term support, and transitional housing for
survivors of physical, sexual, emotional, and other forms of relationship violence; and
WHEREAS,
the City of Janesville believes in the importance of raising awareness of
domestic and sexual violence issues; and
WHEREAS
, the City of Janesville supports the YWCA’s objective to end domestic violence
through their anti-violence services, and encourages the community to participate in the
YWCA Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event.
NOW, THEREFORE, LET BE IT RESOLVED Bythe Common Council of the City of
th
Janesville
, on this 14 day of September 2009 that all residents of the City of Janesville
should support the YWCA’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event to stop domestic and sexual
violence.
Motion by:
ADOPTED:
Second by:
Councilmember Aye Nay Pass Absent
APPROVED:
Brunner
McDonald
Perrotto
Eric Levitt, City Manager
Rashkin
Steeber
ATTEST:
Truman
Voskuil
Jean Ann Wulf, City Clerk-Treasurer
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Wald Klimczyk, City Attorney
Proposed by: Council President Truman
Prepared by: City Managers Office