BOZEMAN - Haven will be hosting their 9th Mother’s Day 5k run, on Sunday, May 8th, and will be collaborating with the MSU American Indian Council. The run will begin and end at Bozeman Pond Park and will kick off at 10 am.
“We are continually seeing the number of survivors rising, since last year,” Erica Coyle said, “All of the funds that we raise this week will go towards Haven’s lifesaving services.”
Coyle is the Executive Director at Haven, and details that the 24/7 hotline, legal advocacy costs, counseling, as well as shelter options are a few places this money will go towards. Last year, Haven worked with 1,069 survivors in the Valley.
“We know that domestic violence does not live in a vacuum, it does not live in a silo—Haven is here to support our community,” Coyle said.
China Reevers is the Events and Corporate Partnerships coordinator and notes the importance of the community in the solution against intimate partner violence.
“This event just reminds people about coming together, that this is work that we’re all doing,” Reevers said, “This isn’t just Haven’s work, this is a community effort.”
One community outlet joining Haven will be the MSU American Indian Council and the newly formed MSU Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Student Association. The Co-President of ‘MMIP Student Association, Nakola Bad Bear, spoke about the importance of awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, and how special it is that Haven is giving them a space at their event.
“That’s just the first thing that comes to my head, trying to find justice for them,” Bad Bear said, “All of the missing indigenous women through Montana that go missing.”
Those interested in walking or running in the Haven Mother’s Day 5k may do so on their website, during packet pick up on Saturday, and finally on-site, at Bozeman Pond Park, Sunday.
