The Coldest Night of the Year lived up to its name for 2023, with the snow starting to worsen as participants gathered outside the Rose Harbour building in Campbell River.
The fundraiser helps raise money for people who are living outside, those who have to face cold nights more often than once a year.
At the event, hosts the Campbell River Transition Society announced that they had reached 101 per cent of their fundraising goal. Participant Sandra Chow was the highest fundraiser this year, with $1,528 raised. As of Monday, the total donated is $51,512. Chow took it upon herself to swim every day in the ocean leading up to the event as part of her fundraiser.
“I don’t know if you saw her but she’s been dipping in the ocean for 15 days,” said Lori Hirst from the Transition Society. “She made it to 14 and on the 15th day she had to postpone because she ended up sick and in hospital.
“She’s feeling much better tonight, and she’s here with us, but she deserves that top spot for sure.”
Campbell River City Councillor Doug Chapman was on site, and spoke on behalf of the mayor and council, and read a resolution declaring Feb. 25, 2023 the “Coldest Night of the Year.”
MP Rachel Blaney was present, and gave a speech thanking people for coming out.
“Thank you for coming out in the snow. I think this is the very point of why we’re walking today. People in our community and across Canada are living and they don;t have a safe place to rest. That is hard, because without a safe place to rest you can’t have faith in tomorrow,” she said. “Thank you for making sure that our community knows that everybody deserves a safe place to live and that housing should be a human right.”
RELATED: Campbell Riverite doing 15 dips in 15 days to raise money to support unhoused population
Do something about homelessness: join Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser
marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com
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