Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Soroptimists to host walkathon to fight human trafficking

VISTA – Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland invites the public to sign up now for their “30 Miles in 30 Days to Fight Human Trafficking” Virtual Walkathon. The Walkathon will begin Jan. 1 and end Jan. 30.

Participants can register online at https://bit.ly/34diyUM or view the club’s homepage at soroptimistvista.org for more information. A “How-To Register” video is viewable at https://youtu.be/k79w8Sn1DhI.

The Walkathon will benefit two local nonprofits active in the fight against human trafficking: Alabaster Jar’s Grace House, a safe house for trafficking victims, and North County Lifeline’s Project LIFE, a human trafficking prevention and intervention program.

“We’re asking supporters locally and nationwide to pledge online to walk, run or bike 30 miles in January, and to donate $1 per mile or whatever they can afford. They can also choose to just donate without walking” Jackie Huyck, the Vista club’s director of public awareness, said.

Participants can pledge individually, join an existing team, or form their own team.

“We usually hold a Human Trafficking Awareness Walk in downtown Vista in January, but COVID-19 has made this impossible, so we decided to try a Walkathon,” Huyck said.

“People can get in shape, at their own time and place, while helping a worthy cause at the same time. One benefit this year is that it doesn't matter where you live; we have people signing up and pledging from all over the United States,” she said.

In addition to the Walkathon, the club will be hosting a free Human Trafficking Awareness Zoom Webinar Jan. 30, at 1 p.m., with guest speakers Monica Dean, anchor/reporter for NBC7 News San Diego, and Jaimee Johnson, trafficking survivor.

Dean will talk about “STOLEN,” a seven-episode documentary about the sex trafficking and exploitation of children in San Diego County. The documentary debuted in August, after a yearlong investigation by Dean and NBC7’s investigative producer Tom Jones. It can be viewed online at https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/investigations/documentary-series-stolen/2378624/.

January is Human Trafficking Awareness month and similar events are being held throughout the county.

Submitted by Soroptimist International of Vista and North County Inland.

 

Reader Comments(0)