National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is April 8th through the 14th, and Lassen Family Services is gearing up for their 5th Annual ‘Walk a Mile in Their Shoes’ event, to be held April 7th, in Susanville’s Memorial Park. The free community event promotes ‘justice through service to crime victims’ and will include a the ‘Walk a Mile in Their Shoes’, a food cook-off and informational fair.
The theme for this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is “Expand the Circle: Reach All Victims.”
“The walk is a representation of walking in the shoes of victims of child abuse and sexual assault,” explains LFS Administrative Assistant Victoria Child, “and the purpose is to inform the community of the resources available to them, as well as to reach out to the victims of these crimes and show our support as they become empowered and move their lives forward on the road from victim to survivor.”
According to Child, Lassen Family Services has received funding from the Office of Victims of Crime for the last four years to help cover the cost of this event. Not receiving those funds has prompted changes this year, along with opening up an opportunity to partner with local agencies and work with less restrictions.
“We anticipate at least 17 informational booths set up in Memorial Park for this event,” said Child. “As well as 10 or more participants for our food fair, which is a little different from years past.”
This year, rather than restricting the food to chili, chefs will have the opportunity to ‘show what they know’ in a food fair favorite competition.
Setup will begin between 7:30 and 8:00a.m., the morning of the event, which officially kicks off at 10:00a.m., on the Roop’s Fort Lawn.
Registration opened March 1st at www.lassenfamilyservices.org to get your group or organization involved in this important community event.
Please contact Lassen Family Services at 257-5459 to sign your agency/business or individual team up for an informational booth or for entry in the food fair competition.
