HEIDI’S WALK FOR HOPE > BRENNAN SOLECKY

Heidi’s Walk for Hope

A short history — by Brennan Solecky

Tragically, on September 12, 2009, Heidi Lee Ferguson (née Bogner) was killed by her estranged husband. In 2012, the Ferguson Memorial Walk was created and hosted by Heidi’s parents, Penny and Gus Bogner, as a way to honour Heidi’s life, raise awareness and prevent future violence against women in our community.

For the next seven years, the Ferguson Memorial Walk was hosted on the third Sunday each September in memory of Heidi and in support of Family Transition Place’s (FTP’s) programs and services.

In 2019, having raised over $130,000 for FTP, the Bogners passed the torch to FTP, entrusting us to take over the hosting of this event.

In 2020, the event was renamed Heidi’s Walk, and continued as a walk dedicated to the memory of Heidi Ferguson and all women in our community who have been killed because of domestic violence. Heidi’s Walk proudly honoured the legacy of the Ferguson Memorial Walk and to-date, these two events have collectively raised over $150,000 in support of FTP.

This year, after two challenging years of virtual event alternatives, we are delighted to mark our return to in-person events with Heidi’s Walk for Hope. This year’s event is a combination of Heidi’s Walk and the annual HOPE Project, which historically has also been held in the fall.

These events share the same mandate: to raise funds and awareness about ending violence against women in our community. We’re excited to finally have the opportunity to be together in person again as we combine the two virtual events into one, taking place outdoors at the beautiful Island Lake Conservation Area.

As always, all funds raised on this day go to supporting FTP’s critical education, counselling and shelter programs.

Our guest speaker: Maureen Davis

Photo by Embrace Photography

Maureen Davis is a front-line crisis responder trainer, mentor and dispatcher. As a survivor of domestic abuse, she uses her experience to advocate for women in abusive relationships. She also trains police officers, social workers and other agencies in non-judgmental, compassionate response to intimate partner violence. She’s a writer and speaker and when she’s got some down time she loves hanging out with her granddaughter, reading, writing and photography. She can be reached at maureendavis.621@gmail.com

The new dawn blooms as we free it. For there is always light if only we’re brave enough to see it, if only we’re brave enough to be it.

~ Amanda Gorman

There is some good in this world, and it’s worth fighting for.

~ J.R.R. Tolkien

It’s always something, to know you’ve done the most you could. But, don’t leave off hoping, or it’s of no use doing anything. Hope, hope to the last!

~ Mark Twain

When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.

~ Paulo Coelho

My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return.

~ Maya Angelou

The world needs less heat and more light. It needs less of the heat of anger, revenge, retaliation, and more of the light of ideas, faith, courage, aspiration, joy, love and hope.

~ Wilfred Peterson