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People walk south at the start of the 2018 Domestic Violence Awareness Walk in Havre. The walk has not been held for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but District 4 Human Resources Development Council's Victim Services is holding it once again Saturday to raise awareness about the issue of domestic violence in the community and the services the program provides.
The Ninth Annual Run/Walk to End Domestic Violence in Our Community, a yearly event run by District 4 Human Resources Development Council will return Saturday after two years away due to the pandemic.
HRDC's Jenna Byrd said the event is to raise awareness about the issue of domestic violence in the community and the services her organization provides.
Registration for the event begins at 9:30 a.m with the walk beginning at 10 a.m. at the parking lot of the former Western Drug location on the 100 Block of Fifth Avenue with the first 100 registrations getting free T-shirts.
The walk will end at Havre High School, Byrd said, adding that pets and strollers welcome.
She said the event will also feature a drive for their domestic violence shelter, accepting donations of clothing, toiletries and non-perishable food.
She said there will also be a raffle with tickets on sale for $30 for one or $50 for two, with prizes donated by local businesses.
Byrd said the event hasn't happened for the last two years due to the pandemic and she's glad to get it back on track.
HRDC Victim Services Director Rose DeBerry said the organization has seen an increase in need for its services during the pandemic, and, while Victim Services was able to provide its most essential services during the worst of COVID, it's nice to get back to normal.
DeBerry said they are able to offer in-person help much more easily and do things like holding support groups which they haven't been able to do for some time now that they're out of "crisis mode."
Victim Services has been facing a massive staffing shortage over the last year as well, with DeBerry spending the first few months of her tenure as the only employee.
Since then, the program has been built back up and is looking to return to its pre-pandemic level of service, DeBerry said, doing more of their outreach work and securing more funding.
She said Saturday's walk isn't just the return of an important yearly event for them, but a chance to introduce the community to their brand new staff during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
"We're really excited," she said.
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