Members of the Cobourg Fire Department took the Walk A Mile In Her Shoes to the next level on Saturday, September 26, 2020.
Eleven members of the fire department not only literally walked a mile, they did it wearing their bunker gear and three of them actually wore breathing apparatus.
It was all for raising funds and awareness for the Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre.
Firefighters walked 12 laps around their building which equalled a distance of one mile.
The annual Walk A Mile In Her Shoes event had to go virtual this year due to COVID-19, but there were many different ways to organize events.
Manager of Community Engagement for Cornerstone, Janelle Eisler said Cobourg Fire Department “really stepped up.”
Covering numerous events where men have walked with red high heels Eisler said she’s seen a lot of men in pain walking, “so I was pretty impressed” when the firefighters did it wearing bunker gear.
Firefighter Jack Dillon organized Saturday’s event because of COVID-19, more people were around their homes and the support from the fire department was greater than last year’s walk.
Dillon who was wearing a breathing apparatus along with bunker gear said laps 10 through 12 were the hardest.
“You lose feeling in your feet and when it comes back it’s strong and sharp.”
But he added, “we had lots of big smiles and funds raised for a good cause.”