Members of the Ponoka and Bashaw Royal Purple lodges came together to donate about 60 care bags to the Ermineskin Women’s Shelter on Oct. 20.
The bags were filled with self care items for women and children, as many leave domestic violence situations with little or no belongings.
“Purple Thursday,” Oct. 20 is the Canadian Royal Purple’s national awareness day for recognizing the intersection of interpersonal violence and brain injury.
Bashaw lodge member and past national president Barb Bambrick noted many women may arrive at shelters with unknown or undisclosed head trauma from interpersonal violence, such as strangulation, which deprives the brain of oxygen.
She added more research is now being done on the link between brain injury and interpersonal injury.
Ermineskin Women’s Shelter director Sandra Ermineskin said the donated bags were greatly appreciated. She mentioned other community partners the shelter works closely with, such as Missions Thrift Store and a church in Wetaskiwin that supplies the shelter with furniture.
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