Man Up Crusade

By: Ruth Nicolaus

Last Chance Stampede & Fair goes purple for domestic violence awareness

Helena, Mont. – The Last Chance Stampede and Fair is going purple for a cause.

For the Fri., July 29 rodeo performance, the Stampede in Helena will host the Man Up Crusade, a crusade to stop domestic violence.

Fans are asked to wear purple to the rodeo that night, to bring awareness to the issue of domestic violence.

The Man Up Crusade was begun in Idaho in 2012 by Sheriff Kieran Donahue and his wife Janice, who recognized the need for awareness of domestic violence.

Domestic violence is nearly half of law enforcement calls daily, Donahue said, “and that’s a staggering number. It’s something we need to talk about because it’s so rampant.”

Domestic violence calls are also some of the most dangerous calls law enforcement officers face, he said. The calls are unpredictable with law enforcement often not sure who the aggressor is when they arrive on scene. Other family members, including the victim, can also turn on officers and when the offender and victim realize the victim is facing accountability, it can make the situation more volatile. “We’d rather go to a bank robbery than a domestic violence call,” he said.

Lewis and Clark County law enforcement relies on the Friendship Center in Helena to assist victims, according to Undersheriff Brent Colbert. The Center, located at 1430 North Sanders Street, provides round the clock care for those impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

Kim Patterson, development director of The Friendship Center, said one in four women and one in nine men will be impacted by domestic violence in their lifetime, and “that’s a lot of people,” she noted, “given the size of our community. The more awareness we can bring to the issue, and the more people who know The Friendship Center is here as a resource for them, the better. We serve not only those impacted by the crimes, but friends and family members of those crimes, too. We are a support system for our entire community.”

Funds will be raised at the Last Chance Stampede on July 29 with the raffle of a Montana Silversmith and Man Up Crusade buckle and the 50/50 raffle. All proceeds will be donated to the Friendship Center.

The funding is needed, Patterson said. “We don’t charge for our services. (The Stampede) helps us raise the resources we need for the often life-saving services we provide, like providing emergency shelter, a 24-hour crisis line, medical and legal advocacy, and on-going emotional support.”

Last year, The Friendship Center provided 5,731 nights of shelter to 157 people, serviced a total of 635 people, and took 1,420 calls on their 24/7 crisis line.

The Man Up Crusade is a nationwide program that partners with professional rodeos, PBRs and state and county fairs to host a “purple” night, with events including the Caldwell (Idaho) Night Rodeo and the Reno (Nev.) Rodeo. Throughout its ten years of existence, it has raised and donated nearly $250,000 for domestic violence shelters and women’s and children’s centers throughout the nation.

Sheriff Donahue said the crusade has two goals: “to admit this country has a problem and to take steps to teach our young people a different way (of living) by example in our relationships.

“We have to break through this mentality that we can’t do anything about domestic violence,” he said. “We can talk about it and we can unify our efforts to end domestic violence in our communities.”

The Last Chance Stampede takes place July 27-30. The Night Show on July 27 features country music stars Jimmie Allen and Randy Houser. Three nights of rodeo follow on July 28-30.

Night Show tickets are $60 (with fees). Rodeo tickets range in price from $17-$23 for adults and $5-$20 for children.

Tickets can be purchased online at LCCFairgrounds.com and at the ticket office during business hours.

For more information, visit the website or call 406.457.8516.