They may not have the legs for it, but the men of Cranbrook don't care: on Saturday, June 15, you will see a bunch of them walking through downtown in shiny red high heels.
It's the second annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes fundraiser for Cranbrook Women's Resource Centre, where local men don high heels and take part in the Sam Steele Days parade to raise awareness of women's issues.
"It's an international walk of men who walk in high-heeled shoes to stand up against rape, sexual assault and gender violence. It happens all over, in different countries and different towns," said Karen Chastain, a member of the Friends of the Women's Resource Centre.
Last year's event raised $5,000 to help keep the centre open, after it lost some provincial funding in 2011.
"The Friends of the Women's Centre was formed to raise money to keep the doors open," said Chastain.
Twenty-five men donned their red shoes last year to walk the length of the Sam Steele Days parade route.
"Some of them had some blisters, but most of them took to it quite well and were able to do the walk. They weren't sure they were going to be able to, but they did," said Chastain.
This year, Chastain said they expect to have even more men take apart, including some teams. Core Fitness is putting together a team, she said, and Kenny Bridge of Bridge Interiors has started a campaign ahead of his participation in the walk.
All men are invited to take part in Walk a Mile in Her Shoes. They are being asked to register as early as possible so that the correct size of heels can be ordered for them.
There will be a special session of shoe fittings and pledge collection on Thursday, June 13, two days before the walk, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Cranbrook Family Connections building beside the skate park.
On parade day, walkers will come together at 9:30 a.m. at the same building from which the parade begins. The group will walk in the parade in their red shoes.
To register, phone 250-427-1544 or visit www.friendsofthewomenscentre.com.