Cycle the WAVE (Women Against Violence Everywhere) kicked off their 2017 fundraising efforts last Friday evening at the Mercer Island Community Center with their 2017 Raise Your Glass wine tasting & fundraiser.
Now in its 10th year, Cycle the WAVE is a fully supported, non-competitive, deluxe all-women’s bike and walk event. Women of all ages and fitness levels experience camaraderie, increase awareness about domestic violence, and raise funds for domestic violence programs across Washington State.
Executive Director Gina Kavesh elaborated WAVE’s mission to me this way: Women on bicycles are empowered. (Read this history of the empowering relationship between women and bicycles.) At Cycle the WAVE many finishers NEVER EVER thought they could complete an event like this, but when they cross the finish line and gingerly step off their bikes, they immediately realize they just did something that once seemed impossible. That accomplishment transfers to other aspects of their lives and contributes to their ability to escape the cycle of violence.
Friday night’s event was attended by many familiar faces from the Seattle area cycling community, and no surprise, the bidding in both the silent the live auctions was spirited. Just like we ride our bikes.
About 140 folks attended “Raise Your Glass” and raised just over $50,000. Funds raised support and expand the school-based domestic and sexual violence awareness program, Discover Your Power. WAVE charges a nominal fee to non-title 1 schools, but they do offer the program free to those that meet the U.S. Department of Education’s definition of Title 1 schools.
The highlight for me was listening to three of the college students who are involved in the Discover Your Power Program. The program has 10 more college kids just like them teaching the program. Since 2016, Discover Your Power has educated over 3,000 individuals of all genders in how to trust their intuition, help a friend when they see unhealthy relationship behavior, feel confident and prepared with a few essential self-defense moves, and more importantly, how to share their new-found knowledge with their peers.
Cycle the Wave will be held Sunday, September 17, 2017.
Register
Donate
