Keis Kuerschner had one word to describe how he felt moments after lugging across the finish line for the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event April 5 in downtown Hollister.
“Pain,” he said.
The Hollister resident has taken part in both “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” gatherings here over the past two years. Even being a relative veteran of the walk, it was difficult getting used to the featured challenge for men involved in the event – wearing red high heels.
The point was to show solidarity for women while raising awareness for groups —the Emmaus House and Community Solutions locally – leading the fight against domestic violence.
Those groups had information booths lining Hollister’s main street as crowds of participants strutted along the sidewalk loop taking them around a portion of downtown. Erica Elliott, program manager of sexual assault and prevention at Community Solutions, noted how similar Walk a Mile in Her Shoes events are scheduled for San Jose this coming weekend and Santa Cruz the following weekend.
Speakers at Saturday’s Hollister event included local officials, San Benito County sheriff’s Capt. Tony Lamonica and two domestic violence survivors. Elliott was impressed by hundreds of residents turning out.
“I think it really speaks to Hollister as a whole and South County (Santa Clara),” Elliott said.
Although it was open for people of all ages and genders, men like Kuerschner and Gilroy’s Rudy Gastelo made up the brunt of participants.
Gastelo, who works for Community Solutions, said he decided to do the walk after hearing testimony from last year’s participants.
“It gave me a different perspective,” he said after finishing the walk.
Gastelo also brought his 14-year-old daughter to show her the event.
“It’s my only time to wear high heels,” he said.
