Purple lights will be appearing soon on many homes and businesses in the region, but it’s not for Christmas. It’s a fundraiser to help Hestia House find a new home.
Light Up The Night Purple essentially replaces the Tanya Shand Milk & Cookie Run held in September to remember the women in this region lost to domestic violence.
Cpl. Kelley McIntyre of the Kennebecasis Regional Police Force said they were disappointed the run was cancelled.
But organizers and volunteers still wanted a way to keep remembering their loved ones.
“All the families are on board with this new initiative with Hestia House,” McIntyre said.
The domestic violence shelter in Saint John, which is often full to capacity, only has one bathroom serving 24 people.
“That can be difficult and it can also be a huge barrier for someone coming to the house,” McIntyre said.
The wish list for a new building would include rooms where kids can do homework and women can work on resumes.
“An area where people can celebrate special occasions like Christmas or Thanksgiving or birthdays because often times these families are there during those times so, we want to try and create normalcy,” McIntrye said.
The purple lights, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, are set to arrive next week.
The Light Up The Night Purple campaign continues until December 31st.
For $2 on Friday, November 27th, everyone can wear their pajamas on Community Pajama Day in support of Hestia House.
Thousands of Canadian kids flee violence with only the clothes on their back and a lot of the time they are wearing pajamas.
Its been a tough week in our communities. Lets make Friday a fun day for everyone, whether your at home, school, or work…
Posted by Tanya Shand Memorial Fund on Tuesday, November 24, 2020