On October 27, the city of Bemidji will hold its annual Peace Walk event beginning at 10 a.m. at the Bemidji waterfront downtown. Free registration starts at 9:30 a.m. at the waterfront.

The Peace Walk follows a route from the Paul and Babe statues along the south shores of Lake Bemidji to the Hampton Inn and back. Dunn Brothers will be providing free hot coffee for participants.

October is recognized around the world as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Each year, the Northwoods Coalition for Family Safety and the Nokomagiisis organize the Peace Walk event to help raise awareness of domestic violence and its victims.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reported 57 cases of domestic violence in 2010, and 63 so far in 2012.

The Peace Walk is co-sponsored by the Bemidji State University Lifestyle Educators, the Student Center for Health and Counseling, Dunn Brothers Coffee, the Northwoods Coalition for Family Safety and the Nokomagiisis program.

For more information, contact Jay Passa, Bemidji State University health education coordinator, (218) 755-2080; the Northwoods Coalition for Family Safety at (218) 444-1395; or the Nokomagiisis program at (218) 444-0735.