Snow flakes. (Photo by © Can Stock Photo / Anterovium). Snow flakes. (Photo by © Can Stock Photo / Anterovium).
Chatham

NeighbourLink Hosts Coldest Night Of The Year Walk In CK Again

A local charity, which provides free transportation for people in need, is collecting pledges for an annual fundraising walk in Chatham.

NeighbourLink Network Coordinator Alan Baker says this is the second year in a row the organization has been chosen as the host charity for the annual Coldest Night of the Year campaign in the Chatham-Kent region.

"The Coldest Night of the Year is actually a charitable organization that is national. It exists to help small charities across the country raise more funds. They've been doing it for a number of years. They do it with an annual walk to raise awareness and money for the homeless, the hungry, and the hurting in various communities across Canada," explains Baker.

The annual Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk is set to take place on Saturday, February 24, 2018.

Baker says all the pledges collected for the walk supports the work done at NeighbourLink. NeighbourLink is a Christian ministry that “connects people in need with people who can help.”

"We provide free transportation for the needy. People need to get to grocery stores, medical appointments, and food banks...people, who don't have any means of getting there and can't really afford public transit or taxis all the time. We also help people with basic financial management and we help with the homelessness problem,"says Baker.

Baker says the Coldest Night of the Year walk is NeighbourLink Chatham-Kent's biggest fundraiser of the year.

"Last year, our goal was $25,000 and we raised 98% of that. We ended up with [just over] $24,000. We hope to raise a lot more this year," says Baker.

Baker says NeighbourLink Chatham-Kent hopes to raise about $30,000 through this year's walk.

Those interested in participating in the walk can collect pledges right up until walk day. Participants will gather at “The Hub,” formerly known as the Pines Chapel on Ursuline Ave. Walkers can either participate in a 5km route or do it twice for 10km. There will also a shorter 2km walk.

The walk will begin at 5:15pm and finish at about 6:30pm. A free chili dinner will be served afterward. Each participant will also receive a free Coldest Night of the Year toque.

To find out more about the Coldest Night of the Year campaign, go online.

Sponsors of the event include Truly Green Farms, Honda House, RBC Dominion Securities, Royal LePage Peifer Realty, and the Groombridge & Moon Homeselling Team of Nest Realty.

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