The Rowan House Women's Emergency Shelter is playing the long game.

Chief Operating Officer, Timmi Shorr, says 2020 will be a big year for them when it comes to programs aimed at preventing violence against women in the future.

"There's always going to be a need for a women's emergency shelter, but we sure would like to be out of job one day. And so the only way that we can do that is to continue the work, the work that we're doing in the schools, in our outreach programs in the community, with our community partners and keep talking about this issue of domestic violence and how we can come together and make it not an issue anymore."

Rowan House will celebrate 20 years in the Foothills in 2020.

Shorr, says part of those celebrations will revolve around their annual hope and healing gala at the Highwood Memorial centre on Friday, May 8th.

"We are wanting to bring more people on board to celebrate with us. So, in addition to our formal gala and the piece that we would usually do, we're going to blow open the doors at 9 o'clock and have a band and a lower ticket price from 9-to-12 so other people can join us and just come dance and have fun."

Shorr says they'll concentrate on programs engaging men and boys and trying to shift attitudes towards women and violence against them.

 

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