South County men contribute to rape awareness fundraiser

Several South County men, all wearing women's shoes, went for a mile-long stroll through downtown Redding Saturday, April 9, to raise awareness of sexual assault, gender violence and to bring an end to rape.

Along the way and for several weeks prior to the fourth annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® event, a fundraiser for the Shasta Women's Refuge, the men garnered support from donors, sponsors and supporters.

“We had 131 registered walkers who raised approximately $26,000 to benefit survivors of sexual assault, rape and domestic violence,” said Kristi Hanson, director of fund-raising for the refuge.

“The international men's march is a unique opportunity for men to educate our community about a very serious subject and to rally our community to take action to prevent sexualized violence, Hanson said.

District 5 Shasta County Supervisor Les Baugh of Anderson, walking for his fourth year in a row, raised $2,745 with much of that coming from a “Baugh Goes Prime” fundraising event that he held April 7 at the Prime 11 Cinemas at the Shasta Outlet Stores.

For the second year, Mary's Pizza Shack and theater owner Ken Hill co-sponsored Baugh's three-hour party that featured giveaways of movie passes for anyone who donated at least $15 toward Baugh's donation total.

Janet Applegarth-Yarbrough received a pair of Prime Cinema annual movie passes with the evening's largest single donation exceeding $1,000, Baugh said.

Of the men's walk, Baugh said, “It was actually encouraging to see so many guys out there doing it.”

Four-year-old Shih Tzu, Daisy, kept up with her master Baugh for most of the mile, but started to lag when Baugh decided to sprint for the finish line still wearing black pumps with inch-and-a-half heels cushioned by calf-high gray athletic men's socks.

When asked to describe the walk, “Ruff!” was all the little dog could pant.

Anderson Police Officer Robert Modin, representing the Anderson Police Officer Association, raised $1,310 while wearing size 15-wide women's patent black stretch vinyl boots that reached almost to his bare and very pale kneecaps visible beneath his khaki cargo shorts.

“We had a pretty good support group. I actually had only collected $655, but an anonymous donor matched that amount,” said Modin, who was walking for the second year. Modin said he raised $1,200 during last year's event.

“It was a fun event, although it was for a serious cause,” Modin said. “I've learned just how difficult it is to walk on a sloped driveway or curb cut with those high heels and I feel empathy for anyone who has to do it on a regular basis.”

Walking for the fourth year in a row was Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko, a resident of Palo Cedro, who presented the Women's Refuge organizers with $800 raised from various supporters.

A gold sheriff's seven-pointed star adorned the toe of each of Bosenko's two-inch-heeled black pumps. During the walk, he carried a placard supplied by event organizers that read, “Put yourself in HER shoes.”

Mark Lathrop, community relations manager at Sierra Pacific Industries in Anderson, turned in $220 for his efforts.

Walking as a large group were at least 12 men from Redding Rancheria and Win-River Casino. They raised $784 as well as contributing $2,500 as an event sponsor.

They couldn't be missed in their matching black pumps with two-inch heels and casino-themed black, red and white stockings featuring all four suits from a traditional deck of playing cards.

“Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® informs the community that services are available for recovery. It demonstrates that men in Shasta County are willing and able to be courageous partners with women in making our community a safer place,” Hanson said.