600 specimens of brawny, hairy men (well, some were) donned high heels to walk a mile around the Capitol Mall today. They did it with grace and pain. Some did it fast, some slow. They did it. They did it to raise awareness about sexual assault against women and raised funds for WEAVE to provide 24-hour services  for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Here's some photos from the event: Award winners will be posted when information is received. Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Gentlemen, it’s time to slip into some red stilettos and strut around town like you own it. Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is returning to Sacramento. Proceeds will go to WEAVE, a support system for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault in Sacramento County. In 2011, over 215 men participated in the walk, helping to raise over $70,000. Last year roughly 450 men raised $230,000.  This year’s event will be held on May 4th at Capitol Mall & 6th. Registration and activities begin at 9:00 a.m. For the hardcore athletes who want to push themselves to run in their pumps, the “elite heat” begins at 10:30 a.m. For the guys who prefer to strut their stuff on the catwalk, the slower-paced heat wil

Several hundred men strapped on women’s shoes and walked and ran on Capitol Mall on Saturday in WEAVE's Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event.  The fundraiser featured music, food and celebrities as the men stumbled, jogged, sprinted and strutted the street course. Crowds of spectators lined the curbs and cheered encouragement as the men made their way around the circuit.  

This Saturday, it won’t just be women strapping on their heels and strutting around town. At the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event, men will slip into high heeled shoes for a one-mile race around the Capitol Mall in order to raise money for Sacramento’s Women Escaping A Violent Environment (WEAVE) foundation and to raise awareness to put a stop to sexual violence and gender assault. “(This event) is so wonderful because it enables men to be part of a solution to ending sexual violence in our community and to really do something proactive while still having fun,” said Director of Development and Community Relations for WEAVE, Julie Bornhoeft. Bornhoeft said that she expects around 400 men wi

Cost of chronic illness will break healthcare system If people do not change their ways, healthcare will become the largest segment of the economy, estimated to reach $4.2 trillion, in three years (2015). It will severely impact the quality of life for all Americans as it drains the federal budget of funds needed for other services. As the cost of healthcare rises, individuals and employers alike will bear the burden not only in larger deductions, co-payments and cost of prescriptions, but in funding the rest of the system. Baby boomers are the most obese generation ever. One-third struggle with being overweight or obese. Baby boomers aren’t the only ones. One in three children and a

The first of two community productions of The Vagina Monologues played to a sold-out audience at Oak Park's Guild Theater on Monday evening. The second production will be performed at the Crest Theater on Saturday, April 14 at 7:00 PM. Presented by local nonprofits Northern California Association for Women Take Back the Night and V-Day Sacramento, The Vagina Monologues is a benefit production of playwright and activist Eve Ensler’s internationally-acclaimed play based on interviews with hundreds of women. Co-directors Christine Foster and Jen Driver began the evening's performance by greeting the audience with information about V-Day, a global activist movement. Driver said, "Since 1998,

They talk the talk, but can they walk the walk? A mile in heels, that is. Oh yes. On April 28, 2012, Capitol Mall will be over taken by 500 men who will complete the one-mile walk course wearing high heels – yes high heels. These men will represent our community – business leaders, elected officials, students, and more will join together to run, walk, and limp their way around the course while bringing an end to violence against women and raising funds for WEAVE. The event will feature a race day festival including vendors featuring food and lifestyle services, a wine and beer tent, awards ceremony and live entertainment. REGISTER NOW! The registration fee is $35 - this includes shoes, r

For many Oak Park residents crime and violence has long seemed as if it has become a way of life over the past two decades. Oak Park is a community rich in neighborly tradition and serving as a staple of black culture for many within Sacramento, yet hard times over the years has made life more challenging for this ever growing racially diverse community. Gang violence has affected the area and young people have become vulnerable to making fast drug money when jobs are scarce. This is why the timing could not have been more perfect than when the leadership of Kyles Temple AMEZ Church recently invited members of the community to attend a forum against violence and its affect’s on the communi

This Saturday – when the sun goes down, and the streets darken – women, men, children, survivors, activists and fighters of domestic violence will come together in Midtown to take a stand, speak out and reclaim the safety of the night. Each year 1.3 million women become victims of domestic violence, and one in every four women in the United States will experience domestic violence, according to statistics from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said Diana Rosas, the press and media contact for Sacramento Women Take Back the Night. The 32nd annual Women Take Back the Night March and Rally will be held from 6-9 p.m. The event will start with a resource fair at 5:30 p.m. at t

Many of the women staying at WEAVE’s Safehouse have left their homes with only the clothes they are wearing. In their rush to escape they rarely have time to pack essentials like shampoo. Please help WEAVE provide comforting essentials to the women seeking refuge at our Safehouse. Help WEAVE Wash Away Domestic Violence. Purchase low-cost shampoo, conditioner, and lotion (an entire set of three is only $12! including tax and processing fee) through our Avon drive and you help in two ways: 1) Provide comforting essentials to the women and children in the Safehouse, 2) Fund life saving programs, because 30% of every sale is donated back to WEAVE by Avon. 300 bottles of shampoo, conditione

Co-hosts Liz Franco and Ashlee Gadd are bringing popular clothing exchange Stitch Swap to The Citizen Hotel Saturday. “Stitch Swap is an opportunity to meet new friends, rid your wardrobe of things you no longer wear, find new items for your closet, all while raising money and awareness for Women Escaping a Violent Environment," said Gadd, marketing and public relations manager for The Citizen Hotel. Participants bring $10 as well as any accessories, clothing or shoes they want to swap from 3 - 5 p.m. Saturday at the Citizen Hotel 926 J St. There is no limit to how much people can bring or how much they can take, Gadd said. Franco is a legislative assistant who started Stitch Swap in 2

Join WEAVE and TheGridLife.com on June 9th for a charity happy hour aboard the Delta King! Enjoy your favorite drink in a great atmosphere and meet some of this seasons Sacramento Mountain Lions Cheerleaders! There will be LIVE music by Hans Eberbach. This is going to be a good time for a great cause! Event Info: 1000 Front Street Sacramento, CA Thursday, June 9th 2011 6:00PM-8:30PM Hosted by: TheGridLife.com Featuring: Sacramento Mountain Lion Cheerleaders and live music by Hans Eberbach Watch the video on YouTube Share the event on Facebook In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and wide. We are grateful to Sacramento

4,500 women will race in the Kaiser Women’s Fitness Festival benefiting WEAVE on Sunday, June 5th to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault. Now in its seventh year, the event is the largest women’s-only run in the region and runners travel from the Bay Area and the central valley to compete. WEAVE needs volunteers! Sign up now! All volunteers are required to attend a Mandatory Volunteer Training on Wednesday, June 1st from 5:30 - 6:30 PM at WEAVE. Volunteer shifts run in 3 – 5 hour blocks from Thursday, June 2nd to Sunday, June 5th. Questions? Contact Ashley. In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and

4,500 women will race in the Kaiser Women’s Fitness Festival benefiting WEAVE on Sunday, June 5th to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault. Now in its seventh year, the event is the largest women’s-only run in the region and runners travel from the Bay Area and the central valley to compete. WEAVE needs volunteers! Sign up now! All volunteers are required to attend a Mandatory Volunteer Training on Wednesday, June 1st from 5:30 - 6:30 PM at WEAVE. Volunteer shifts run in 3 – 5 hour blocks from Thursday, June 2nd to Sunday, June 5th. Questions? Contact Ashley. In full disclosure, this article was written by a WEAVE employee in the hopes of spreading the word far and

Here's some more photos from Saturday's WEAVE fundraiser involving men wearing heels for one mile! It was a pretty funny sight! Check out this ARTICLE about it SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Men of all ages and shoe sizes gathered at the corner of 18th Street and Capitol Avenue, ready to walk one mile in women’s high heels to support WEAVE’s first “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event. “There are so many men that are affected by sexual assault, and this is a way for men to show their support,” said Amber Stott, WEAVE director of communications relations. Stott estimated that since Friday WEAVE has raised over $63, 000. Stott said all proceeds will go to WEAVE and benefit the various services that WEAVE provides, including counseling, WEAVE safe house, legal assistance, prevention programs and 24-hour support and response teams to help survivors of sexual assault. In addition to

Participating in a family-centered activity group in Natomas helped Katie Rozental feel less isolated when she was a new mom. Rozental said she benefits from the Natomas Mothers’ Group, which offers a wide range of activities for mothers and young children up to age 5 for a membership fee of $40 per year. “I’ve been in the group for almost five and a half years now, and I really don’t know what I would have done without (Natomas Mothers’ Group),” Rozental wrote in an email Thursday. “There were times when I was a first-time mom where I felt trapped in my own house and just felt lost, and if I didn’t have the play groups to go to, I think I would have gone crazy! NMG has been an invaluab

Stop by Rubicon Brewing Company tomorrow, Saturday April 16th, for the 5th Annual Women in Brewing Festival! Many talented female brewers have been invited to showcase their special recipes and hard to find brews at this event. Featured beers include special brews from Sierra Nevada, Lost Coast, Auburn Alehouse, Stone, Santa Cruz Mountain, Blue Frog, Moylan's, and more!  There will even be a silent auction with amazing prizes donated by local businesses. In 2007, the Rubicon Brewing Company established the Women in Brewing Festival in an effort to honor the hard working women, yes WOMEN, of the brewing industry. Rubicon Brewing Company is deticated to supporting WEAVE and raising awarene

WHAT is it? V-Day Sacramento 2011 refers to the 2011 Sacramento community production of The Vagina Monologues that will be held in April 2011. It is a project of Northern California Association for Women Take Back the Night based in Sacramento (Sacramento WTBN). In addition to bringing the local and international plight of women and girls to the forefront, the goals of V-Day Sacramento 2011 are to raise money to benefit local anti-violence organizations and to channel awareness into action. In 2011, the proceeds from the V-Day Sacramento 2011 production of “The Vagina Monologues” will benefit WEAVE, Sacramento Women Take Back the Night, and My Sister’s House. Learn more about V-Day, V-

Amidst stormy weather on Saturday, March 26, more than 200 people gathered at the First Covenant Church in Ranch Cordova to attend the “Stop Trafficking” Symposium. The three-hour session was organized to increase public awareness of human trafficking in the Sacramento region, rated second in the country as a city with a trafficking problem, according to Congressman Dan Lungren, who made a brief appearance. Lungren recalled his days as state attorney general, when the introduction of Megan’s Law was met with resistance by prisoners’ rights advocates. He said the climate has changed with widespread acceptance of both Megan’s Law and Jessica’s Law to protect children. However, remaining de