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200 turn out for seventh Ferguson Memorial Walk fundraiser for FTP

October 1, 2018   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The theme at this year’s Ferguson Memorial Walk was ‘Together we all make a difference.’

Together, around 200 people turned out for the walk on Sunday, September 23, at the Island Lake Conservation Area to raise money for Family Transition Place (FTP) in Orangeville.

“The walk is in memory of my daughter Heidi Ferguson,” explained organizer Gus Bogner prior to everyone hitting the trails. “She was killed in a domestic dispute. We can’t bring her back but we felt we could make some good from it. We joined with Family Transition place. It’s for a good cause – about violence against women. Up to last year we were able to donate up to $100,000. We have a lot of support from local businesses and people that come out”

This is the seventh year the walk has taken place. In addition to the walk there as a silent auction and the chance to win a high performance automobile for a weekend.

“This event means more to us than just the money,” said Norah Kennedy, FTP’s executive director. “This is a way for us to honour the life of Heidi Ferguson and it’s a way for us to connect to the community and re-commit to make sure terrible tragedies like that don’t happen again. The funds of course are hugely helpful because the go mostly to support out youth education programs that are not funded. They help keep us in the schools trying to help children and youth learn skills and attitudes that means they are going to have healthy relationships.”

Heidi Ferguson was murdered by her estranged husband Hugh in 2009. FTP has a shelter the helps women and their children that are leaving abusive situations. It is also a community counselling agency for women who have experienced abuse or trauma as well as those with addictions.

They help clients find housing and income and what they need to move on with their lives.

The shelter is located in Orangeville and welcomes anyone who need their services.

“We want people to be able to find us if they need us,” Ms. Kennedy said. “We have really good security and a really close relationship with our police services, and we have really good neighbors. Everybody knows that if someone is hanging around that doesn’t look like they belong the police will be there very quickly. It’s a very secure building.”

The Ferguson Memorial Walk is an annual event with many supporters coming out year after year.

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