A night aimed at raising awareness and funds for those impacted by intimate partner violence.
The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation will host their third annual Night Light Walk in Tecumseh on Thursday evening.
The event raises awareness of the critical shortage of safe, affordable transitional housing for women and children impacted by intimate partner violence (IPV).
Funds raised from the walk locally will directly support Hiatus House, which provides shelter and support to women and children in the area, to support their transitional housing project called ‘A Place to Heal’.
Across Canada, police-reported IPV cases has risen 14 per cent since 2018, and in 2025 alone, 148 women and girls were victims of femicide.
Walk attendees will wear illuminated toques and carry lanterns along the route in a show of community solidarity for sisters, daughters, mothers, and friends impacted by abuse.
Maggie Durocher, Coordinator of Fundraising and Development at Hiatus House, says they’re excited to take part in the event.
“It’s a three-kilometre walk, great opportunity for families to come together and all of the proceeds go to Hiatus House and 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.”
She says all are welcome to attend, and can register right up until the walk begins.
“The more, the merrier, and all of the proceeds go to help us finish this build. We’re so close to reaching our target, so we really want to encourage people to come out, to support this, and it’s a great opportunity in our community for people to come together. And even for the little guys, there will be face painters, balloon artists, lots of fun stuff, hot chocolate, donuts.”
Durocher says there is strength in numbers.
“Domestic violence isn’t going anywhere, it’s still happening, and as hard as we work to eliminate it in our communities, it’s still there. So, anything that we can do to draw attention to it, to help support the agencies like Hiatus House that support these women and their children is a wonderful opportunity for our community.”
The walk will take place at Lakewood Park Event Plaza starting at 7 p.m.
Last year’s event raised over $46,000 locally to support Hiatus House’s transitional housing project.
Thousands of Canadians across 15 communities will take part in the walk, including areas like Calgary, Edmonton, Guelph, Ottawa, Toronto, Barrie, Oakville, St. John’s, and others.