Dressed in warm boots and mittens, parkas and toques, hundreds of participants in three local communities joined thousands across the country Saturday to raise funds for organizations that lend a helping hand to folks in need.
The “winterrific” family-friendly fundraising walk, dubbed the Coldest Night of the Year, raised millions of dollars for charitable organizations that assist people experiencing hunger and homelessness or needing other support.
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Locally, walkers raised $118,603 (as of Sunday morning) for Windsor’s Downtown Mission, surpassing this year’s fundraising goal of $110,000.
“The Coldest Night of the Year event is invaluable to the Downtown Mission as it brings together our community of donors and supporters to share in their love and belief in the work done at and by the Downtown Mission,” said Rukshini Ponniah-Goulin, mission executive director.
“It shows those who depend on the services of the mission that their community is behind them every step of the way, they are not alone and the doors of the mission will be open to them for food, shelter and support when they need it the most.”
An even greater sum was raised in Leamington, where 228 walkers on 38 teams raised $200,389 — 133 per cent of the $150,000 fundraising goal — for the Leamington Community Hope Centre.
The centre is a non-profit organization focused on providing community members in need with the necessary resources to improve their physical, mental, social and spiritual health. Fifteen volunteers helped run the Saturday event.
In Windsor, participants included 345 walkers on 57 teams, along with 75 volunteers who ensured the event ran smoothly. The Coldest Night of the Year is the biggest annual fundraiser for the Downtown Mission.
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“It was a wonderful event and we’re very pleased with the results overall,” said Ponniah-Goulin.
“Our goal was 40 teams, 320 walkers, 48 volunteers and a fundraising goal of $110,000 — all were surpassed.
“And we also had 18 sponsors who helped make this event possible with $15,000 in financial sponsorships and over $5,000 in goods and services supports. Windsor-Essex delivered as always.”
The team that brought in the most donations was Hucsters, led by captain Barry Mannell, with almost $13,000 in pledges.
We know that they are desperate
“It’s amazing to see an increase of participation from the Windsor-Essex County community at our events,” said Maurizio Tiberia, director of business operations for the mission.
“As demand for our programs and services increase, meeting the demand without the increased financial and volunteer support would be a challenge (and) 70 per cent of our annual budget of $4.5 million is generated from community donations,” Tiberia said. “We are grateful for the support.”
“When someone comes to us seeking shelter, we know that they are desperate,” Ponniah-Goulin said. “Every single night, we wonder if we’ll have enough resources to help everyone who walks through our doors.
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“That’s the reality we face every day.”
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Teams in Amherstburg raised $37,198 Saturday for the House Youth Centre, about 25 per cent short of the $50,000 fundraising goal. Twenty-seven teams with 144 walkers participated, along with 37 volunteers.
Amherstburg’s House is a non-denominational youth centre that serves the community by supporting, encouraging and empowering youth.
The team Treble Makers, led by captain Amy Bailey, raised the most money in Amherstburg — $3,400.
Nationally, 6,454 teams made up of 38,901 individuals participated in 207 locations, raising $13,974,748 for charities across the country.
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