Statistics say 50 per cent of women in Canada will experience abuse at some point in their lifetime, while 360,000 children witness family violence every year.
On May 14, Royal LePage offices in Innisfail and Red Deer will be joining more than 115 offices from across the country in a national effort to ensure that abuse no longer occurs.
The offices will be taking part in The National Garage Sale for Shelter, a fundraising event in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation - the country's largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to funding women's shelters, as well as violence prevention and education programs.
The event is now in its third year, and every dollar raised goes directly to the cause and remains in the local community.
Darlis Bachusky, the regional spokesperson for the event, said residents can drop off gently used items at any of the three area offices during office hours. She asked residents to use the event as an opportunity to de-clutter their homes during spring cleaning.
"We're in dire need of items right now," she said.
Innisfail residents can attend the garage sale locally at the Royal LePage Weber office at 4924 48 Ave. from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
The Royal LePage Network Realty Corp. office at 3608 50 Ave. in Red Deer will host their garage sale from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., while the Royal LePage Patrician office at 4406 50 Ave. will host theirs from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Bachusky said the Network Realty Corp. office will be hosting a barbecue, and entertainment for both children and adults. She was unsure of what the other offices have planned, admitting the offices all try to raise more money than the others.
"It's a little bit of an in-competition to see who can raise the most," she said, noting her office raised $4,000 last year.
In total, Royal LePage agents have helped raise $12 million through commission contributions and fundraising activities to help more than 30,000 women and children escape violence each year. Last year's event raised $315,000 across the country, Bachusky said.
For more information on how you can participate, visit www.royallepage.ca/shelter.
