On Saturday, March 2nd, I did my first 5k walk of 2013.
In 2011 when I did my first sponsored walk since primary school, I just picked a random charity that I thought would benefit from having a few extra bucks donated to them. I’ll admit, it was an uneducated choice, based on timing and distance – and the fact I could walk and not have to run. Don’t get me wrong, it was a worthy cause, most are, but it wasn’t something that had touched me personally.
This year, however, through a series of events, my walk was picked for a very specific reason and a very specific person. Though I can’t share with you the events, (it is not my story to tell), it had a profound impact on me, and, feeling utterly helpless, I did some research and discovered that the Houston Area Women’s center – a charity with which the SSA has done quite a bit of fundraising for over the last few years – were having their annual 5k walk, to raise money for victims of domestic and sexual violence.
This cause, which I have fully believed in for a long time now, really spoke to me, the walk was a personal challenge (I hate walking) and I signed up without giving it a second thought.
As much as this walk was for other people in my life, I realised, as the walk got closer, that it was also for myself.
When I was eleven years old, I was sexually assaulted on a school trip, by a janitor of the hostel we were staying at. He inappropriately touched me, and a few of the other girls I was traveling with and sat on our beds watching us while we slept. It had a profound effect on me, resulting in bed wetting, night terrors and anxiety about sleeping (even now I get freaked out if I find someone is watching me sleep!) I remember many’s a night waking up to my dad holding my hand calming me down, to talking to me quietly, reassuring me and telling me I was ok, but the ‘aggressors’ face still haunts me on occasion .
They never caught the guy, by the time the police arrived, he had fled. Who knows how many other young girls he was inappropriate with, or if his behaviour was even worse with some. We’ll never know.
What I do know, is that without places like the Houston Area Women’s center, these women, just like you and I, would have nowhere to go. Many would have no one to listen to them, provide them counseling, every day supplies and a safe haven from violence. This center is invaluable, it provides, in many cases, life-saving services to women who truly need it to get their life back on track.
What struck me on Saturday, was the overwhelming number of ‘in memory’ t-shirts and badges/buttons. It brought a lump to my throat and made me very grateful. It was a very emotional day.
I faught tears a number of times, when I was crossing the finish line and realised it was within my goal time of one hour.
When my friend Ann crossed over our group through the crowd and grabbed my arm, holding on tightly, that almost sent me over the edge.
When the HAWC lady who gave me my top fundraiser hat also provided me with a ‘Thank-you’ card from one of the kids from the center, that almost sent me over the edge.
Like I said, it was a very emotional day for me, but I completed the walk just over two minutes shy of my ‘one hour’ goal.
A HUGE thanks to my sponsors, Rita, Nancy, The Doc, Melanie D, Delly, Linda, Salma, Adelaide, Diana, Theresa, Cindy, Frances, Lindsay, Emily, Chizzy, Sheri, Evgenia, Annette G, Gunnar, Magz, Joanne, Val, Jennifer, Annette E and Amber, without whom I’d probably have still walked, but I certainly wouldn’t have raised the $740 that I ended up raising!
There’s still time to donate, if you’d like to, please go here:
http://hawc.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&page=1&eventID=500&participantID=1278
It’s for a very good cause!
