Coldest Night of the Year successful

Adelle Ellis
Times Reporter

 

Over 50 people participated in the Coldest Night of the Year walk on Feb. 25. The walk was the first fundraiser held by the Strathmore Overnight Shelter this year.
The shelter aimed for the moon but landed among the stars as they raised $7,180, only 35 per cent of their $20,000 goal.
“It’s a good number for the lack of time we had [to put the fundraiser on], and for the advertising we did,” said Richard Rodgers, Director of Outreach at the Strathmore Overnight Shelter. “It was pretty good for our first fundraiser.”
Fifteen walkers walked a 10-km path and five walkers walked 5km; Strathmore Mayor Michael Ell was among them.
Although the walk took place in chilly -16°C weather, it was nowhere near as cold as some of the nights that homeless people must face outside at night during the winter in the town of Strathmore and elsewhere in the province.
Walkers were prepared for the frigid walk, geared up in winter jackets and boots and in the free Coldest Night of the Year toques that each walker received as a thank you for walking and raising awareness and funds for the shelter. After the walk, a hot meal of homemade stew and buns were served to help warm participants up.
The successful walk also saw over 20 volunteers helping with administration duties and traffic control. No one was injured and everyone who participated in the walk completed it without any incidents or troubles.
“I’m happy with how smooth it ran. We had a lot of volunteers and a pretty good showing,” said Rodgers. “Everything went very well and there are a lot of people that care out there.”
Participants were happy and excited to help fundraise for the Strathmore Overnight Shelter and to raise awareness for homelessness in the community by joining in on the walk.
One participant walked “to raise awareness that we do actually have homeless people in Strathmore, and to also help support the funding for the Strathmore Overnight shelter,” said Susan Ruzek who was worried that there may not be enough walkers and was pleased to see over 50 people show up.
“(It’s an) outstanding cause (and) unfortunately it’s necessary. We just need to make support available for those who are in need for the short term,” said Don Derraugh who added that in the past his daughters and he needed support because of an accident his daughters were in, so he is proud to be able to pay that help forward.
The shelter is also looking for other new and unique fundraising ideas to help fund the opening of the shelter. Rodgers has a contest on his personal Facebook page, that is posted as a status asking people what events they would like to see in Strathmore. Anyone can go onto his personal page and answer. The deadline for the contest is March 15 and whoever’s answer is chosen to do a fundraiser based from, will win $100 cash from Rodgers himself for coming up with the creative fundraiser.
“We need those ideas, we want people to enjoy themselves and get what they want,” said Rodgers. “We want the whole community involved.”
The funds raised from the walk will go to finishing the sprinkler system and other renovations in the shelter. Previous to the walk, the shelter has raised over $20,000 through other fundraisers such as Helping Hands events and donations. The Town of Strathmore matched those funds of $20,000 to the Strathmore Overnight Shelter; that money will be going towards operation costs.
The Strathmore Overnight Shelter hopes to open in late spring.