As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, students took part in a 3K race to raise awareness for domestic violence on Wednesday, Oct. 18. The event was organized by student leaders and advisors in Haven and The Network, a community-based sexual assault and domestic violence awareness group at the Max A. Shacknai Center for Outreach, Volunteerism, and Education (COVE).
In addition to raising awareness for domestic violence, the event also served as a fundraiser for the Help Restore Hope Center, a local domestic abuse treatment center that is a part of Liberty Resources. Liberty Resources is an organization focused on healthcare and social support.
Juniors Callie Smith and Klara Sweeney — both student leaders of The Network volunteer team — worked alongside COVE Team Advisor Sarah Sparber and Haven Associate Director Michele Passonno to contact organizations to sponsor and support the event, including Liberty Resources, campus Greek life organizations and the Colgate University track & field and cross country teams.
“We will use all of the proceeds from the donations to purchase items for Liberty Resources and their emergency shelter,” Sparber said. “Their top requested items are doorbell cameras, window alarms, ‘She Birdie’ alarms (personal alarms), track phones and track phone minutes. Liberty Resources will give these items to survivors as they leave the shelter to help ensure their safety.”
The event received community support with 60 attendees and around 35 people who registered, donated and ran. The course started on Whitnall Field and continued around Hamilton. Representatives from COVE, Haven, the track & field and cross country teams and Kappa Kappa Gamma attended the 3K.
“The event went well; it was great to have such a big turnout from the track and cross country team[s],” Sweeney said. “The Network and Haven share similar goals, so it’s great when we can work on events together.”
Sophomore Grace Kwitek, who is a member of the track team, coordinated with her coaches and The Network to get the team involved with the race.
“Being able to donate to the Help Restore Hope Center to support survivors of domestic violence is a wonderful opportunity to help those in need,” Kwitek said. “Hopefully, knowledge of this center will spread so that other campus organizations can work with them as well and even more of a positive impact can be made.”
Sparber hopes the 3K showed students that they are not alone and have support and resources from the campus community.
“It is important to draw awareness to this issue so that people know that they are not alone,” Sparber said. “It’s also an opportunity to relay that Colgate offers wonderful resources to support students who may have been impacted by domestic violence or intimate partner violence.”
There is a network of resources available to Colgate students who need support and care, including Haven, Counseling and Psychological Services and Student Health Services.
“Community support when raising awareness of issues such as domestic violence is so important because oftentimes it is a silent issue,” Kwitek said. “It can be easily overlooked unless awareness is increased and the community is aware of the signs of it and how to help.”
