Ashley Simpson, Caitlin Potts, Deanna Wertz.

These three names were on the minds of many Saturday, as citizens participated in a First Nations-led, 118-kilometre walk for the three women who went missing last year.

All three women lived in the traditional territory of the Splatsin First Nation.

Ashley Simpson and Deanna Wertz were last seen on Yankee Flats Road, south of Salmon Arm, where they lived in the same vicinity. Simpson lived in a travel trailer with her boyfriend. She was last seen on April 27, 2016. The man who owns the property reported last year that she and her boyfriend had a fight about money that day and Simpson had texted her boyfriend to say she was leaving. He said she had indicated she wanted to go back to Ontario to work with her father, but didn害羞草研究所檛 have the financial means to get there. She has not been seen since.

Wertz was last seen on July 19, 2016, and it害羞草研究所檚 believed she may have gone on a walk in the nearby forest, which she enjoyed doing. Search and Rescue combed the area, but found nothing.

John Simpson, Ashley害羞草研究所檚 dad, said the RCMP Major Crimes officers told him they do not believe the disappearances of the two women on Yankee Flats Road are related.

Caitlin Potts was last seen on Feb. 21, 2016. She had been living on Mabel Lake Road near Enderby, and was captured on video at the Orchard Park Mall in Kelowna about 1:30 p.m. that day. She has not been seen since. In the days leading up to her disappearance, she is reported to have had connections to West Kelowna, Armstrong and Salmon Arm, as well as Enderby and Kelowna.

The walk was divided into three segments, the first from Yankee Flats Road to Vernon, the second from Vernon to Lake Country and the last, to Orchard Park Mall in Kelowna. About 40 people took part in the first segment, including members of the Splatsin, Okanagan, Neskonlith and Adams Lake bands.

害羞草研究所淲e wanted to find a way to bring people to the area where they were last seen,害羞草研究所� said Jody Leon, who organized the event with Megan Louis. As she walked along Yankee Flats Road early Saturday, she explained she was inspired by the anniversary of Ashley Simpson害羞草研究所檚 disappearance and the passion she saw in Ashley害羞草研究所檚 dad John when he came to B.C. from Ontario last week to search for her.

Leon said family members of all three women have told her what a painful journey this has been.

She wants to spread accurate information about when and where the woman disappeared, as it might jog people害羞草研究所檚 minds and stir up clues, evidence or remembered sightings.

害羞草研究所淭hey definitely need to be remembered and honoured,害羞草研究所� she says, pointing to all the missing women in Canada, which grassroots organizations estimate at 4,000. 害羞草研究所淥ut of all those names害羞草研究所� If every person in Canada took one picture and decided to advocate for her, she would never be forgotten.害羞草研究所�

Rosalind Williams hopes the crime unit investigating the missing women considers any possible correlations. She also wants to create awareness of the women, noting that then 害羞草研究所減eople who are spiritual people, they add their prayers to help the families.害羞草研究所�

Also walking in the ever-increasing heat, Chief Judy Wilson of the Neskonlith band said raising awareness of and support for missing and murdered women is long overdue.

She points out that a better solution needs to be found for issues in families and communities.

害羞草研究所淥ur women need to be respected more. Women played a foundational role in our communities as caregivers, lifegivers, and also the harmony and the balance in the families, the communities and the nations. So we need to restore that, and restore the respect for our women and also to end violence against our women and girls.害羞草研究所�

Splatsin Chief Wayne Christian joined the walk, saying it害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渞eally, really important害羞草研究所� to bring attention to the missing women.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e hoping we can get people engaged and helping us to find the women,害羞草研究所� he said.

Salmon Arm Mayor Nancy Cooper said she was pleased to offer her support, adding it could have been anyone害羞草研究所檚 relatives who went missing.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e got to figure out what害羞草研究所檚 going on here and let the governments know, both federally and provincially, that, 害羞草研究所榊ou know what? We害羞草研究所檙e concerned and we害羞草研究所檙e not giving up.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Allan Louis, a councillor with the Okanagan Indian Band, also emphasized awareness.

害羞草研究所淭hese girls seem to be forgotten all the time, so many of them. In this day and age, it害羞草研究所檚 frightening that people disappear and we don害羞草研究所檛 know where they go,害羞草研究所� he said, adding, 害羞草研究所淧lus I have grandchildren.害羞草研究所�

Louis Thomas, a Neskonlith councillor, said women in his culture were very important, but have been targeted by men, especially when drinking alcohol.

害羞草研究所淢y mom (Mary Thomas) was abused by her husband - my father - when he was drinking,害羞草研究所� he said, adding that women seemed to accept it as normal then.

害羞草研究所淲e have to learn to respect the women too.害羞草研究所�

Patricia Purdaby said she was walking to bring awareness to the community and make an impact.

害羞草研究所淢y mom, Delores Purdaby, went on the walk, the Highway of Tears. I wanted to follow in her steps and try to make an impression. I hope it brings awareness and people start to know this does happen and it shouldn害羞草研究所檛.害羞草研究所�