RAVALLI COUNTY HAS RAISED $44, 000 — Have you ever wondered why there is so much purple at the Ravalli County Fair? It's a fundraising effort for the Man Up Crusade, a campaign aimed at ending the cycle of domestic violence.
While the Ravalli County Fair and Rodeo is months away the fundraising effort is starting.
About half of Ravalli County's emergency calls were related to domestic violence in 2024, and Ravalli County Sheriff Steve Holton knows those calls have a rippling effect.
“Domestic violence in any shape is horrible... what it really affects is the children,” Holton said.
To combat the county's high numbers, the Sheriff's Office joined the Man Up Crusade — a nonprofit that works to raise awareness for domestic violence — in 2018.
"So we're not raising our kids into in these situations where they think it's normal. That's how they that's how we teach our our children, that what relationships are supposed to be and they're not. And so it's really focused on breaking that cycle,” Holton said.
Businesses around the Bitterroot have donated to the cause and all of that money is staying in the county, by going to Supporters of Abuse Free Environments (SAFE).
"And when you have, when you have a program like man up, those dollars have less red tape to them, and so things that we wouldn't normally be able to provide for survivors through our grant funding, we're able to do that with funds from man up,” said SAFE program director Misty Moore.
SAFE is the only domestic violence resource organization in the Bitterroot, which means partnership with the community is vital.
"We couldn't do this work without our community. There would be there would be no way with resources or financially,” Moore said.
Since Man Up started in the Bitterroot, over $44,000 has been raised.
“It's been amazing. Those dollars are life-saving,” Moore said.
Moore says that because the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office sponsors the program, SAFE has built a partnership with law enforcement in the community.
"It's made a huge difference for survivors and for SAFE when you when you have a safety concern, or you're worried about a survivor, or a survivor needs some support,” Moore said.
“I hope it gives them a sense of confidence, and if nothing else, it puts the plants the idea in their head that there are resources,” Holton said.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, you can reach out to the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office.
During the rodeo at the Ravalli County Fair, one night is dedicated to Man Up, with cowboys and the crowd encouraged to wear purple. The night is used as a fundraiser for Man Up.
