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By Shari Narine
Windspeaker Contributor
ENOCH CREE NATION, Alta.
When Lisa Ground was fleeing domestic violence, there was no room for her or her daughters at WIN House, a women’s shelter in Edmonton.
“That’s why, now that our lives have changed, we’re giving back to make sure it doesn’t happen to someone else,” said Ground.
For the second consecutive year, Ground is organizing In Her Shoes Gala to raise money for WIN House.
But as important as the money is – last year’s effort netted just under $4,000 and Ground is hoping to earn more this year – the gala is also about “raising awareness, hope and healing from domestic violence and abuse.”
“It’s about how I make everybody feel,” said Ground, who notes that the majority of her volunteers are survivors of domestic violence. “I get a lot of feedback from attendees about how they have been touched and how it’s helped.”
It is difficult to picture Ground - crowned Mrs. North America Globe Classic in 2015 - as a victim of domestic abuse. But she was. She suffered psychological, emotional, sexual and financial abuse in the relationship.
At one point, she gained 270 pounds because of depression. But she persevered. She attended women’s therapy classes to help heal her pain. This is where she met her husband Joel Ground, whom she said was a huge source of support to her during her recovery, and still is.
With the support of Joel and her daughters, Ground found the courage to compete in the international pageant and became the first First Nations woman to claim the title.
But she has not forgotten the harsh road she travelled to get to where she is today.
And so she’s giving back.
The event takes place at the River Cree Resort on May 26. It will be hosted by St. Albert Mayor Nolan Crouse with Tess Gordy, executive director at WIN House, as keynote speaker.
Entertainment has a Native flavour with hoop dancer James Jones, Métis jiggers and jigging contests for both Elders and real men in high heels.
“The real men is how does it feel to be in her shoes, the pain women go through, the suffering,” said Ground.
And, of course, there’s Ground’s personal connection to a pair of last year’s Amazing Race Canada contestants, husband Joel and daughter Ashley Callingbull, who will also be in attendance.
“I’m giving them a highlight video from Amazing Race Canada. They have no clue. Because for First Nations our healing is laughter so hopefully this Amazing Race Canada will bring some laughter and some hope,” said Ground.
Helping to raise funds will be a variety of auctions, including a live auction, which features a framed Edmonton Oilers’ signed jersey from Captain Connor McDavid.
The Alberta Legal Information society will also be on hand to provide free legal information.
Ground says she is pleased with steps the Alberta government has taken recently to help those fleeing domestic violence.
The government launched a sexual violence action plan earlier this month, which includes initiatives related to prevention, intervention, outreach, community leadership, and joint accountability.
Women are now also able to vacate rented premises before their leases expire, and the time limit in which an abuse victim can lay chargers against her abuser has been eliminated.
But more legislation is still needed, says Ground.
“What most concerns me is the police being trained to deal with domestic violence and the abuse situation. That is the number one for me,” she said.
From when she left her violent domestic situation to now, Ground says women are talking more openly about domestic violence, attitudes are changing, and there are more shelters, with more organizations raising funds for shelters.
And men are taking a more active role as well, many having seen their mothers, their sisters, their aunts, struggle through domestic violence.
“They’re not only showing respect for women and respect for themselves, but they’re also teaching their children and future men, who are usually the ones stereotyped causing the abuse … it’s showing future generations respect for both genders,” said Ground.