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Women's Outreach gala cancelled

Central Alberta Women’s Outreach has cancelled its New Year’s Eve gala at the iHotel 67th Street due to poor ticket sales.

Central Alberta Women’s Outreach has cancelled its New Year’s Eve gala at the iHotel 67th Street due to poor ticket sales.

Darcy Ouellet, fund development officer with Women’s Outreach, said people who purchased tickets will be refunded and the organization will look at other ways to raise money.

“We did really, really well last year. I don’t know what’s going on this year,” Ouellet said on Friday.

Last year, the party attracted about 130 people and raised $7,000.

The next fundraising event for the outreach will be Walk a Mile in Her Shoes in May.

Last year, 85 walkers raised $36,000 through pledges. It was the first time the event was held in Red Deer.

The Walk a Mile in Her Shoes movement was started in 2001 by a small group of men in women’s shoes and grew into an annual worldwide event with men raising money for rape crisis centres, domestic violence shelters, sexual violence education, prevention programs and other programs.

The high-heel shoes used in the walk were specially made for men.

“It’s a lot of fun. About a third of the shoes we didn’t get back. It was from people saying they wanted to hold onto them for next year.”

Photos from the walk can be seen at YouTube Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Red Deer 2012.

Some men raised money by promising donors they would complete the outfit by wearing women’s clothing.

“We took domestic violence, which is a horrible cause really, and threw it in people’s faces and had a great time.”

The date and time of the 2013 walk has not yet been set.

szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com