Coldest Night of the Year

There is a beautiful community that has built itself in and around helping our local neighbours living with "poverty, mental and physical illness, drug dependency, and disability". Today, that community got together in the "Coldest Night of the Year" fundraising walk.

Nothing like starting a walk on a cold evening in a nice, warm, colourful church. Somewhere around 194 walkers were welcomed by Ben. We were given the choice of a 2 km route and a 5 km one.

And, they are off!

Sometimes, walking on the road was safer than walking on the sidewalks.

It takes a village to put on a fundraising walk. There were dozens of volunteers, some of whom were situated along the route giving directions when needed and cheering us on.

The Pulse Café is seriously community-minded. Free hot chocolate and other drinks were handed to walkers over their fence.

As the rest of the world continued its day: trains going east......

..... and the Ganaraska River flowing south....

.... the walkers continued their journey.

I imagine more than a few reflected on the reality of their unhoused neighbours who had to make their way every day in the ice and snow.

Shortly after this point, the two groups split and the 2 km folks trudged back up hilly Walton Street to the church and the 5 km folks continued on......

.... and all of us ended up in the warmth of the church's basement being recommended to try the Skor cookies. Yum! Great way to end a meal that was cooked and served by St. Mary's high school students, using food donated by Fare Share Food Bank. It really does take a village.

And the very good news, the icing on the cake of the day, was that Green Wood Coalition's Coldest Night of the Year goal was reached!

If you've not donated and still want to, click here. Contributions will be collected until the end of March.

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”

Charles Dickens