Over 200 participants tied up their shoelaces and hit the pavement this past weekend for the Coldest Night of the Year walk, hosted by Streets Alive Mission.
The annual Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk is a nation-wide event that helps raise awareness for people who have no place to call home. For Streets Alive Mission in Lethbridge, this year’s walk marks its tenth year of hosting the fundraiser, but it’s the participants that make the walk successful. Beverly Burke, team captain of Team Coaldale MB says she joined the walk to help those who are less fortunate.
“I take my son to Immanuel Christian School every day and I drive past where people come out of the shelter in the mornings and my heart just breaks for them only because I have made different decisions or God has put different people in my life.”
Despite COVID-19, there were 247 walkers making up 38 teams who came out to show their support at this year’s walk, the highest number Streets Alive Mission has seen. Burke says this is the church’s fourth year participating in the walk and the highest number of walkers they’ve ever had.
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“We have 17 people this year which is the most we have ever had on a team and we’re very excited about that. [Our church] has also raised over $3,000,” said Burke. “If you have the chance to do the walk, do it, it is so rewarding.”
Money raised for the Coldest Night of the Year walk goes back into the community to help the more vulnerable population. Jennifer Lepko, director of fund development at Streets Alive Mission says the community of Lethbridge has once again stepped up to the plate and is recognizing the needs in the community and are wanting to do something about it.
“We are really appreciative here at the Mission in every dollar raised. We are thrilled by seeing the total we have already have; it just speaks to the amazing people in our community. All the funds raised from the Coldest Night of the Year go towards our outreach team and providing food for those people that are on the streets. It’s about providing them some warm gloves when it’s the middle of the night and it’s cold.”
With COVID-19 still present, Streets Alive Mission had two options for participants. They could choose from a virtual walk, allowing people to walk whenever they could as long as they finished by the end of February. Or an in-person walk, taking place at Land-O-Lakes Golf and Country Club in Coaldale, where walkers could choose to do a two-kilometre or five-kilometre route around the golf course. To adhere to Alberta Health Services restrictions, teams of 10 were sent out in 30-minute intervals to allow social distancing along the route. Lepko says Lethbridge is the only city in Western Canada to host both an in-person and a virtual walk.
“We are the only ones in Western Canada that are actually hosting an in-person walk. Coldest Night of the Year is a national fundraiser so it’s happening across Canada, but in Western Canada everyone else has chosen to do a virtual walk, we thought it was really important that we do provide both options for our community.”
Streets Alive Mission set a goal to raise $40,000 at this year’s walk. As of Feb. 23, it has surpassed that goal raising over $65,000. If you would like to donate, visit CNOY.org and choose Lethbridge as the location. There is no deadline as to when donations will be accepted.
