April 15, 2002
Contact: Karen Gimarc (509-963-2127/fax 509-963-2121/e-mail: ecenter@cwu.edu)
ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Central Washington University’s empowerment center is seeking male faculty, staff and students to bring an end to violence against women. The White Ribbon Campaign will take place April 22 to 26 on the CWU campus, during which men wear white ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to the effort.
“Many men have been affected by violence toward women, be it a partner, sister, mother, grandmother, some woman in their lives,” Katrina Whitney, empowerment center director, says. “So, the White Ribbon Campaign provides an opportunity to them to make a stand and it gives them a voice.”
The empowerment center is looking for volunteers to staff two booths during the campaign. The booths, to be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily during the week, will be set up in the Samuelson Union Building and at Nicholson Pavilion.
At each booth, volunteers will distribute white ribbons to men committed to non-violence toward women and have information available about the White Ribbon Campaign, along with an easel on which men can sign their names pledging their non-violence toward women.
If you’re interested in volunteering to staff one of the booths, contact the empowerment center, located in Samuelson Union Building 218, or call 509-963-2127, (for the hearing impaired TDD 509-963-3323), or via e-mail at ecenter@cwu.edu.
A group of Canadian men began the White Ribbon Campaign in 1991. It is billed as the world’s largest effort of its kind.
