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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, S ep te m be r 12 ,2 01 9 | 10 An Evening With Helen Humphreys! Author Visit & Book Signing Event Join us for an intimate and engaging evening with Helen Humphreys as she discusses her latest book, writing process and her other novels. Ask questions and join the book signing in the Helson Gallery. Wednesday, September 18 7:30pm ~ John Elliott Theatre ~ Tickets $10 at Box Office Tickets are available now. Be sure not to miss the book signing in the Helson Gallery! ent ONE BOOK ONE HALTON HILLS 2 0 1 9 I was on vacation with my family, waiting for my kids to order their ice cream with their dad, when I quickly checked Twitter. I saw the tweet - and I knew. From @insidehalton: "An ongoing heavy police presence: Shooting at Bur- lington home leaves wom- an dead." I quickly forwarded the article to my colleagues. We had no details, but our hearts just knew. The next day we learned more information. Laura Grant was fatally shot, her body found in the backyard of her rural Burlington home. Her husband was charged with first-degree murder. Each November, during Woman Abuse Prevention Month, the Ontario Associ- ation of Interval and Tran- sitional Houses releases a list of women killed by their partners during the last year. The latest report, which includes November 2017 to November 2018, lists 48 women. Although the charge against her husband hasn't been proven in court, Lau- ra's name could be added to the list when it is updated in just a few months. In a very upscale com- munity, people were - and are - shocked. Could this happen in Burlington? Oakville? Milton? Sadly, woman abuse happens in all communi- ties - crosses all socioeco- nomic statuses, religions, cultures and ages. The Halton Women's Place shelters in Burling- ton and Milton remain at capacity. Our public educa- tion program in the schools is in high demand across both school boards. Our crisis counsellors answer more than 2,000 calls a year. It happens. It happens here. I didn't know Laura, I don't know her story. How- ever, I won't forget seeing that headline and the im- mediate conclusion I came to. We know that there is more work to do to. We will continue to advocate for those who need our voices and our platform. We will continue to work with our local, provincial and feder- al representatives to put this issue on the forefront. We need to stand in front of change makers and be heard. We will continue to grow our public education program in the schools so more kids learn about healthy relationships and how to end the cycle of abuse. In fact, in just a few weeks we will be hosting our annual Hope in High Heels walks across Halton. This event is a great way to advocate, raise awareness and educate. Hope in High Heels has boys and men walking in heels to show their support in ending violence against women. We will dedicate these events to Laura and her family. Woman abuse is not a woman's issue. Boys and men, if you would like to be a part of this event and help us raise more awareness about ending violence against women, please reg- ister here: www.haltonwo- mensplace.com/events. Carm Bozzo is the de- velopment manager for Halton Women's Place. OPINION HOPE IN HIGH HEELS EVENT COMING UP PARTICIPATE TO "SHOW SUPPORT IN ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN," SAYS BOZZO CARM BOZZO Column The hills might be the hard part, but Tour The Hills is a chance to get a ride in on the last weekend of the summer season. On Sept. 22, the inaugu- ral Tour the Hills event will raise funds for Cancer As- sistance Services of Halton Hills. The one-day event takes cyclists through the picturesque countryside of Halton Hills. Three routes are avail- able for cyclists - from a 25- km and 40-km ride for nov- ice cyclists, up to a 100-km ride for avid cyclists. All routes will start and finish at the Trafalgar Sports Park in Georgetown. Aid stations will be set up along the route to pro- vide refreshments, first aid and bicycle repair services. Following the ride, the event continues with a bar- becue provided by Chicos BBQ, with entertainment from the Transistor Radio Group. While the event raises funds for CAShh, it is also an opportunity to get the community involved in a healthy, enjoyable and challenging event. Participants can regis- ter at www.tourthehills.ca. NEWS TOUR HALTON HILLS BY BIKE FOR A GOOD CAUSE BRYAN MYERS bmyers@metroland.com Hundreds of riders took to the roads around Halton for the Epic Bike Tour Halton. Graham Paine/Torstar