College of Education grad student organizes Domestic Violence Walk

Augusta University College of Education graduate student Summer Neal-Barge has organized a Domestic Violence Walk from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10 at the North Augusta Municipal Building, 100 Georgia Ave. The walk will finish at Maude Edenfield Park in North Augusta.

Speakers for the event include the mayor of North Augusta, representatives from the North Augusta Police Department, Aiken County Solicitor’s Office and the Cumbee Center in Aiken, S.C.

Any donations and money from walk T-shirts will be given to the Cumbee Center.

The Cumbee Center was established in 1979 with a mission to support and empower domestic violence and sexual violence survivors and their families. Their services are free and confidential, as safety is their priority. In the past three years, they have served over 2,200 people and have provided about 10,000 nights of safety for families fleeing abusive situations.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the U.S. On a typical day, more than 20,000 phone calls are placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.