Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Successful Campaigns In The United States

March and April saw two very successful White Ribbon Campaigns in the United States.

The first took place from March 23rd to April 1st in Syracuse, New York, raising over $60,000 for Vera House’s Alternatives program, which works with men who have been abusive to their female partners and/or ex-partners. These funds represent half of the funding for this program. Achieving their goal of distributing 40,000 ribbons, the campaign, which included a motivational message from our Honorary Chair, Syracuse City School District Superintendent Daniel Lowengard, was a definite success.

From more information, please check here and for photos please check here and here.

The second took place on April 5th in St. Louis, Missouri, sponsored by One in Four, an all-male peer education group from Washington University.

The event included the participation of 11 fraternity houses, 7 residential colleges and the WU Police Department, as well as local organizations, universities and high schools. Participants wore ribbons, filled out pledge cards, made banners, viewed a screening of the film Tough Guise and raised funds for the YWCA Sexual Assault Center.

Organizer Teresa von Stamwitz states that they

"handed out 2,300 ribbons at Washington University alone, so we estimate over 2000 men in St. Louis wore the white ribbon on April 5th this year! What's more exciting is how many young men got really into the concept, and they're already brainstorming for next year. The director of Alternatives to Violence and Abuse wants to incorporate the white ribbon into the St. Charles men's anti-violence walk coming up on April 21st as well."

White Ribbon Canada congratulates all those involved in organizing two amazing and successful events.

If you have organized or attended a White Ribbon event in your community, we would love to hear about it.

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