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WILKES-BARRE— A yearly tradition made its way back to Wilkes-Barre on Saturday afternoon, marking a very important fundraising event for a local homeless shelter.
Ruth’s Place Women’s Shelter held its 15th annual Walk for Hope event on Public Square— complete with a DJ, food truck, face painting, raffles and an inflatable bounce house. It also commemorated the shelter’s 20th year in operation.
Attendees rallied together for an approximate one-mile walk past Ruth’s Place, the soup kitchen, PA Career Link, and more organizations that band together to help homeless women in the area.
“We wanted to educate the people on the walk of what these women go through,” said Crystal Kotlowski, NEPA Director for Volunteers Of America, which runs Ruth’s Place.
Kotlowski said the walk offers a very unique opportunity for the community to show their support of the shelter and the women it helps.
“We’re constantly helping to support women that are in a really drastic crisis situation, and we really appreciate the community coming out and showing them that they have their back,” she said.
Throughout the three-hour event, support for the shelter’s mission could be found in even the quickest interaction with any attendee.
This is certainly the case for Sarah Kapoches, who helped run the bounce house this year, but typically attends every year anyway to support the cause.
It’s a cause that hits close to home for Kapoches, who lived in the shelter nine years ago.
“I never knew it existed until I needed it,” she said
“Since then, it’s like anyone who has been helped by Ruth’s Place always tries to come back and support in some shape or form.”
She went on to note that, although some might not know much about the shelter, its impact on the community is undeniable.
“You don’t understand how much it really helps the community, and how many people they’re able to help,” Kapoches said.
Stacy Snyder, a current resident at the shelter, shared Kapoches’ sentiments. To her, the walk is a testament to the commitment of the staff at Ruth’s Place.
“The staff is amazing. It’s a very supportive place,” Synder said.
All proceeds raised from the event go toward keeping the shelter and its services open 24/7 year-round for homeless women in Luzerne County.
The shelter does not only accept donations during the walk. According to Kotlowski, personal care items, clothing and monetary donations are always accepted and appreciated.
“Everything you need in your house, we need in our times 20,” she said.
Donations can be made by stopping by the shelter, which currently sits at 25 N. River St. in Wilkes-Barre.