The Skills Centre will be hosting a Coldest Night of the Year walk in downtown Trail, the last Saturday of the month.
Started in February 2021, the family-friendly fundraiser now goes annually in efforts to raise money to assist people experiencing poverty in the Trail area.
“Thousands of people across Canada will be walking on February 24 for Coldest Night of the Year,” said Dan Wall, Skills Centre spokesperson, in a Feb. 1 release. “We’re hoping that a couple of hundred of them will be right here in Trail.”
The Trail event will have the start and finish of the walk set up on the Esplanade outside the Skills Centre’s downtown office.
“You can join a team of walkers, gather your friends or coworkers and create your own team, or support a team with a donation,” said Emily Gora, deputy executive director, Skills Centre. “We invite everyone to gather on February 24 for either a two-km or a five-km walk.”
The goal is to raise $40,000.
The shorter walk will go over the Columbia River Skywalk and Victoria Street bridges and the longer walk is to Gyro Park and back.
“We’re confident that our community will show the support to make that happen,” Gora said.
“Most of the money stays in the community and supports poverty reduction right here in Trail.”
Last year saw more than 100 people participate and raise funds for local programs and awareness in Greater Trail.
“Business sponsorships are crucial to the success of Coldest Night of the Year, and we’re looking for a few more to help us reach our goals,” said Gora.
Go to www.cnoy.org/trail to sign up or make a donation.
Money raised in past years has gone towards poverty reduction efforts such as the Skills Centre’s Community Kitchens program that helps people create healthy food practices for their household; the La Nina shelter; and the Trail Community Action Team’s work to reduce the stigma towards people who use substances.
Register early and raise funds online or register at the Skills Centre the day of the event.
Check-in for the walk opens at 4 p.m. on Feb. 24, and the walk starts at 5 p.m.
A light meal for all participants will be served at 6 p.m.
Walkers who fundraise $150 or more get a free toque or if walkers are under 18, they get a free toque once they hit $75 in donations.
Read more: #Local News
Read more: Be part of Coldest Night of the Year; be part of a solution for Trail
The Skills Centre has a long history of providing innovative and transformative community programming especially in support of youth, women, immigrants, newcomers and people living with low income.
The Skills Centre provides regional poverty reduction programming in partnership with five municipalities: Fruitvale, Montrose, Trail, Warfield and Rossland.