PGA TOUR Wives walk against domestic violence

text size

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the latest weather-related news involving the scheduled Walk the Course Against Domestic Violence.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When Johnson Wagner's wife, Katie, was a special education teacher in Virginia, she worked with a lot of children who had witnessed domestic violence.

"You could see there was either complete aggression from what they'd witnessed or they were totally withdrawn," she said. "It's hard to see kids in those situations."

Last year, Katie became a mother, giving birth to the couple's first of now two children and that prompted her to get involved with the Avon Foundation for Women and the second-annual Walk the Course Against Domestic Violence, which was supposed to take place Tuesday at the Quail Hollow Championship but was canceled due to bad weather.

Wagner and some 30 others from the PGA TOUR Wives Association, in collaboration with Avon, had been scheduled to walk 18 holes to raise funds and awareness for the domestic violence cause, with all the proceeds from the event going to four local domestic violence agencies.

After the Wagners moved to North Carolina a few years ago, they were approached by the Avon Foundation for Women about the event.

"We were looking for something to get involved with and when they decided to bring the project here [to Quail Hollow], the wives asked if I'd be willing to help," Wagner said. "I said 'absolutely'."

In 2009, Walk the Course had nearly 900 participants, with $100,000 donated directly to North Carolina domestic violence agencies.

"[The PGA TOUR Wives] have been fund raising and they've really been instrumental in getting the word out," said Eloise Caggiano, a program director for the Avon Foundation for Women.

Statistically, every nine seconds a woman is beaten or abused in the U.S. and in North Carolina there have been more than 535 domestic violence-related homicides just in North Carolina since 2003.

"Breast cancer survivors are so proud," Caggiano added. "Domestic abuse victims are much more quiet about it, so that's what we're trying to do is speak out for them. It could be anybody; your neighbor, the person at the desk next to you in the office."

Walk the Course Against Domestic Violence is the latest initiative of the Avon Foundation for Women Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program. Since Speak Out launched in 2004, the Avon Foundation for Women has awarded more than $12 million to nearly 400 domestic violence organizations in the U.S. alone.

"We are excited to be returning to Charlotte to partner again with the Avon Foundation for Women and the Quail Hollow Championship in the fight against domestic violence," said Amy Wilson, President of the PGA TOUR Wives Association. "The success of the inaugural event was a testament to the people of the Carolinas and their support in this important fight for the welfare and safety of families.

"The PGA TOUR Wives Association is proud to be a part of an event that makes a difference in the lives of so many."