COVINGTON, Ga. — The county's top elected official says he plans to demonstrate how serious he is about bringing awareness to the scourge of domestic violence this weekend — and is challenging all Newton men to join him as he does it.

Chairman Marcello Banes of the Newton County Board of Commissioners said he plans to be the first male in his office's history to "wear heels on the Covington Square and tell about it" as part of his participation in the Walk A Mile in Her Shoes event to benefit victims of domestic violence.

"This will not only be a time to reflect how others see things but to also bring a visually dramatic public statement of listening, learning, allyship and commitment to ending sexualized violence," he said.

Newton County's Domestic Violence Task Force has organized the event and will host it Saturday, Oct. 30, beginning at noon across from the Historic Courthouse on the Covington Square. 

Participants will walk eight times around the inner circle of the Covington Square, which is a mile in length.

Banes said he was "issuing a challenge to all men of Newton County to join me in a historic event this weekend." 

"Not only will this be an event to shine a light on Domestic Violence Awareness like never before but I will also be the first male chairman to wear heels on the Covington Square and tell about it!" Banes said.

He called the Walk A Mile in Her Shoes event "a major milestone in the history of Newton County."

"This national event has been held in communities throughout the world since 2001 to bring community awareness about the serious causes, effects and remediation to sexualized violence. It is now coming here to our Newton County Square.

"I challenge all the men that will be participating to understand the women in our community to join me in figuratively and literally walking a mile in their shoes," Banes said. 

Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. and organizers are only asking for in-kind donations of toiletries, feminine products, baby wipes, diapers sizes 3 to 6, Pull-Ups sizes 3t to 5t, socks and gently used women's and children's clothing,

To volunteer or for more information about the event, contact Debbie Hillman at 404-217- 5219 or debbiecollector3@gmail.com; LaTonja Hamp at 678-625-1225 or LHamp@co.newton.ga.us; or Nwaka Hughes at 678-625-1693 or NHughes@co.newton.ga.us.