The third annual 'Men's Night Out in the Cold' fundraiser for Moose Jaw Transition House is set for the night of Friday, Nov. 24 through to the morning of Nov. 25, part of the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence seeking to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls.
Sixteen men from Moose Jaw will take an active stand by spending a night in the cold from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., no matter the weather, to show solidarity with women and children forced from their homes by domestic violence and abuse.
The event was first held in 2021 and raised $30,000 for Transition House, immediately becoming the single biggest annual fundraiser for the organization.
Moose Jaw Transition House is a six-bedroom domestic violence shelter that, unfortunately, tends to operate at capacity year-round. At least 100 women and children seek safety there every year. The organization also operates a 24/7 crisis line which receives over 500 calls annually, along with numerous outreach programs.
Jenn Angus, director of Transition House, told MooseJawToday.com last year that the 'Men's Night Out in the Cold' event is a result of the three male members of the board stepping up. The White Ribbon Campaign is by men, for men, and marks a vital cultural shift toward acknowledging and confronting gender-based violence.
“When we see this kind of community support, from men, women, anybody, it doesn’t just mean a lot to us as employees and staff here,” Angus said.
“It means so much to the women that we’re supporting. Because it isn’t just raising money for our ongoing services, it’s raising awareness. ... It tells them that they’re not alone, that people care, and that this is an important issue.”
Jared Mathieson, the event's main organizer, has been on the Transition House board for four years and said his experience has shown him how important the shelter is.
"It's only one night for us, right, but it's one night that a lot of women and children have to experience when they're trying to get away from domestic violence," Mathieson said. "Between myself, Kevin (Pilsworth), and Geoff (Anderson), the board members of Transition House, we're really proud of how it's grown.
"... That first year, we raised over $30,000, and last year, we raised $50,000, so $80,000 in the first two years is amazing, but more importantly, we're raising awareness for the White Ribbon Campaign and the Transition House.
"I wish we didn't need a transition house in Moose Jaw, but it is so important that we have it. Between the outreach they do and the house itself, it's an amazing place. ... It's nice to have these very community minded men who want to do (Men's Night Out), and it's nice that they want to keep coming back. We're grateful for them."
White Ribbon 2023 – Men’s Night Out in the Cold participants
- Ira Dales – Ifrix Solutions (Year 3)
- Joel Pinel – Vize Labs (Year 3)
- Brett Williams – Cypress Paving (Year 3)
- Kyle Sereda – Medavie Health Services West (Year 3)
- John Iatridis – The Mad Greek (Year 3)
- Paul Busse – Moose Jaw Firefighter (Year 2)
- Alex Carelton – Crushed Can (Year 2)
- Eric Campbell – Lindale Principal (Year 2)
- Jamey Logan – Strictly Fences (Year 2)
- Travis Olson – Royal Bank (Year 1)
- Eric Kempe – PTW (Year 1)
- Chris Olfert – JGL (Year 1)
- Les Chelle – K+S Potash (Year 1)
- Kenric Phillips – Regal Electric (Year 1)
- Cory Knutt – Golden West Broadcasting (Year 1)
- Dan Chalupiak – Saskatchewan Polytechnic (Year 1)
Transition House Board male board members
- Geoff Anderson – Moose Jaw Co-op
- Taylor Elder – Moose Jaw Police (standing in for Kevin Pilsworth)
- Jared Mathieson – Saskatchewan Polytechnic
Learn more at www.whiteribbon.ca and at www.mj-transitionhouse.com.
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