The city of Covington held its sixth annual Purple Light Nights Saturday in the Pier 1 parking lot.

The evening began with a 5K and ended with a tree lighting ceremony.

A total of 2,000 purple lights can be seen on downtown center trees in Covington.

The Parks and Recreation Department provided the lights.

Participants included the Covington Domestic Violence Task Force, Kiwanis, Rotary, and Lions clubs and DAWN, Domestic Abuse Women’s Network. DAWN Development Director Brenda Chrystie and Covington Mayor Margaret Harto announced at the event that Covington Domestic Violence Task Force Director Victoria Throm will be presented with DAWN’s first Woman of Distinction Award at its 19th Annual Benefits Auction and Awards Gala Oct. 3 at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue.

In June 2004, the Covington Domestic Violence Task Force was founded by Throm and Curt Lindsley.

Two years later in September 2006, the task force became an incorporated nonprofit.

According to the Purple Light Nights’ website, Throm and Lindsley “saw the need to provide awareness education to the community and business leaders promoting healthy relationships while giving support to victims of domestic violence.”

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and in the fall of 2006, Throm presented the idea of the Purple Light Nights campaign to the task force.

According to their website, after months of development, marketing and processing the campaign, the Purple Light Nights was up and running in October 2007.

That same year, in 2007, Throm received the Take Action Award given out by the King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence for her work on the, then, new campaign.

According to the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence’s website, Domestic Violence Awareness Month evolved from the ‘Day of Unity’ that was held in October of 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

That Day of Unity soon turned into a week of activities devoted to mourning those who died because of domestic violence, celebrating those who survived and connecting those to work toward ending domestic violence across the nation.

It was in October 1987, that the first awareness month was observed.

The Day of Unity is still celebrated on the first Monday of October, this year that falls on Oct. 5.

The Covington Domestic Violence Task Force serves the cities of Covington, Maple Valley and Black Diamond.

Monthly meetings fall on the second Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. at the Covington City Hall.