Have you ever wanted to be part of something bigger than yourself?  Looking for that 15-minutes of fame you've heard about?  Ever wanted to walk in red high-heeled shoes?  (Maybe keep that one to yourself?)  Well here's your chance! Marathon Technology Group, Official Technology Sponsor for Walk-A-Mile-In-Her-Shoes, the major fundraising event for The Women's Bureau, is accepting walkers to be part of our Official Walking Team for the event as we help raise awareness surrounding sexual assault and THIS YEAR SET A GUINNESS WORLD RECORD!

Walk-A-Mile is a family-friendly event held in downtown Fort Wayne at Headwaters Park on September 11 to raise awareness of the seriousness and pervasiveness of sexual assault in our community. Statistics from the Indiana Youth Risk Behavior Survey by the Indiana State Department of Health indicate that in 2009, 11% of high school students surveyed said they had been pysically forced to have sex. And 12 percent reported they had been "hit, slapped or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend." Those numbers,which are up from a similar survey in 2007, are above the national average.

The Women's Bureau's REACT program offers trainings geared to different age levels, presenting age-appropriate information on developing self-confidence, respecting others, personal safety, how to tell someone if they've been hurt, the myths and facts about sexual assault, laws and age of consent, how alcohol may play a role in assaults, and how to defend yourself against a known or unknown attacker. REACT also offers intervention services in the form of a 24-hour rape crisis hotline (for information and referrals) and free counseling for survivors.

We believe in the agency's stand that by having open and frank discussions about the probelm of sexual assualt, the causes leading to assault and how to prevent it, Indiana's State Department of Health statistics will come down.

Marathon Technology Group is proud to be working with The Women's Bureau to help make Walk-A-Mile 2010 a success by providing the means to electronically register and select your payment method right on their website!  Safe, secure, and affordable!

Join our team as we walk to raise awareness and bring a Guinness World Record for most people "racing" in high heels to The Fort!

Always in business to keep yours running!  And once again WALKING TO KEEP FORT  WAYNE SAFE FOR MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND FAMILIES!

If you go

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes

What: Fundraiser for the Women’s Bureau’s REACT program, which provides sexual assault prevention programs to area students and free counseling for survivors.

When: 10 a.m. Sept. 11; day of on-site registration begins at 7 a.m.

Where: Headwaters Park West

Registration: $35. Call 424-7977 or go to www.womensbureau.com