A night walk aimed at raising awareness and funds for those affected by intimate partner violence will take place in Tecumseh on Thursday. The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation’s third annual Night Light Walk highlights the shortage of safe, affordable transitional housing for women and children impacted by intimate partner violence. Funds raised locally will support Hiatus House and its transitional housing project, A Place to Heal. According to organizers, police-reported intimate partner violence cases in Canada have increased 14 per cent since 2018. In 2025, 148 women and girls were victims of femicide. Participants will wear illuminated toques and carry lanterns along the route in a show of support for those affected by abuse. “It’s a three-kilometre walk, a great opportunity for families to come together, and all of the proceeds go to Hiatus House,” said Maggie Durocher, coordinator of fundraising and development at Hiatus House. “They will be helping us with our new build called A Place to Heal, which is going up across the street to support women and their families.” Durocher said registration will remain open until the walk begins and encouraged community members to take part. “The more, the merrier, and all of the proceeds go to help us finish this build,” she said. “We’re so close to reaching our target, so we really want to encourage people to come out and support this.” She said the event will also feature family-friendly activities, including face painting, balloon artists, hot chocolate and doughnuts. “Domestic violence isn’t going anywhere; it’s still happening,” Durocher said. “Anything we can do to draw attention to it and support agencies like Hiatus House that help these women and their children is a wonderful opportunity for our community.” The walk begins at 7 p.m. at the Lakewood Park Event Plaza. Last year’s event raised more than $46,000 locally for Hiatus House’s transitional housing project. Thousands of Canadians are expected to participate in Night Light Walk events in 15 communities across the country, including Calgary, Edmonton, Guelph, Ottawa, Toronto, Barrie, Oakville and St. John’s.
