Walkers will be taking in the dark night sky on Feb. 24 while raising money for Airdrie’s POWER Women’s Day shelter.
The Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) is a family-friendly walk in support of local charities across Canada and the U.S. serving people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness.
“I know it's not always a fun thing to think about walking in the cold, that’s part of the reason that we do it, is to just remind us that there are people out there in the cold that didn't choose to be out there,” said Dana Gable, operations manager at Power. “It's a hard situation for a lot of our clients that are looking to escape domestic violence.”
Aside from recognizing the harsh reality some people in the community live with, Gable said the evening has a big celebratory atmosphere as participants acknowledge the funds they managed to raise in support of victims of domestic violence.
“It just feels really like you're part of something big when you're there and everyone has smiles on their faces,” she said. “It's a lot more fun than walking in the cold sounds.”
People can sign up to walk two or five kilometres as a team or individual and raise money through the support of their friends, family, neighbours, coworkers, and anyone else willing to donate.
“We do the walk, we celebrate, we have dinner afterwards and it's a great cause,” Gable said. “It's our biggest fundraiser of the year for our women's shelters.”
This is the second year Power is participating in the event and Gable hopes it becomes an annual event from this point on.
About 150 people took on the walking challenge last year with the help of volunteers, sponsors, and donors.
“We are hoping to raise more money this year and keep growing the event,” Gable said. “Last year, our goal was $30,000 and we raised $45,000 and so this year we're shooting for $60,000.”
Gable admitted the goal is ambitious but believes the community will come together and achieve the goal.
Funds raised keep the doors at Power open and help them continue to offer their programs.
Power’s day shelter has been open for around three years and they’ve seen an increase in demand year over year. Gable said they are struggling to meet that demand.
“Every dollar that we raise really allows us to make sure that we can keep our capacity as big as it can be and make sure that as many women as possible get the help that they need,” Gable said.
The economy has affected everybody and that includes the donations people are able to give. Funds have decreased while costs have increased, according to Gable.
The fundraising portion of the CNOY event starts whenever someone signs up.
Participants can be seen with the amount donated on the CNOY website. Currently, St. Paul's community is in the lead with $2,485 raised.
Those who raise more than $150, receive a CNOY toque to wear during the event.
Starting in Nose Creek Park, bonfires will keep walkers warm and organizers hope to have hot chocolate available at the start.
Opening ceremonies take place at the Nose Creek Park Amphitheatre where the crowd gets to celebrate the hard work that’s already been done to raise money.
“Then we kick it off with the big countdown and then we start the walk,” Gable said.
People will cheer walkers on along the way and the local radio station will be playing music to enjoy as they walk.
The walk will finish at St. Paul's Catholic Church where a soup dinner will be provided by a local restaurant with fresh buns from a local bakery.
Go to cnoy.org/airdrie to sign up or find more information. Organizers are still looking for volunteers, walkers, and business sponsors.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with a domestic abuse situation, please reach out to Airdrie POWER for help.
