“Shop ’til it Stops” to raise support for the Women’s Center for Domestic Violence Awareness Month

MARQUETTE — Throughout the month of October, the Women’s Center in Marquette has been hosting events in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. One of those events designed to raise awareness and support for victims is taking place this Friday.

On October 18th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pak Ratz Resale Shop, run by The Women’s Center, will be holding “Shop ’til it Stops.” All the money earned from “Shop ’til it Stops” will go directly to the Harbor House, which provides shelter and resources to domestic violence survivors.

Friday’s event is a way to bring these two services of the Women’s Center together to raise awareness about domestic violence and the resources available to victims.

“The idea behind ‘Shop ’til it Stops’ is to bring some awareness to our resale shop,” said Kristin Olsen, Domestic Violence Program Coordinator for the Harbor House. “We’re kind of spread out. We are all the Women’s Center, but since we’re spread out we don’t always work together. So we thought it was important for them to get some publicity too. So we’re going to have an informational booth there, and we’re all going to take shifts and work together and answer questions. I know that the Radio Results Network will be there live, and we’ll be giving away prizes. So we just hope to see everybody there to have some cookies and answer questions. Hopefully it’s just a collaborative community event.”

Pak Ratz manager Nikki Durand hopes that “Shop ’til it Stops” will increase awareness in the area about how many people are victims of domestic violence in the Marquette area. She also hopes that survivors will come into the store to talk with the Women’s Center staff or to ask any questions they may have.

“We’re bringing awareness to such a silent thing that people don’t really want to talk about,” said Nikki Durand, manager of Pak Ratz. “This would be a great time to come and visit with people, talk to our advocates from the Harbor House, and feel free to ask questions and learn more about domestic violence. It’s out there, and it’s not going away anytime soon.”

“Shop ’til it Stops” is just one of three events the Women’s Center still has planned for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For more information on Friday’s event and to find dates and information on the other events coming up, check out the Women’s Center Facebook page here.