The Lloydminster Men’s Shelter is encouraging residents to walk in the 7th annual Coldest Night of the Year. The national walk and fundraiser have 136 organizations participating across Canada in order to help those that are “hungry, homeless and hurting”.
The event will take place February 23rd and features a 2,5,or 10 km walk. Board Member Coralynn Nydokus says the funds raised will go towards operational costs in order to keep the shelter running and stocked up.
“This walk has brought in over 90,000 dollars for the shelter, which is huge, especially considering it can serve up to a 100 meals daily and it provides that clean safe housing in their 28 bed facility.”
Last year the event raised just shy of $14,000 going towards the shelter. Nydokus says the goal amount for this year is $20,000, according to their website $1,450 has been raised so far. Last year 12 teams participated with around 55 individuals in total walking for the cause.
“Because the walk is called the Coldest Night of the Year, we do have some cold weather, so having funds available to keep the shelter open on those days that it hits minus 30 and having a place for those men to go who’re stuck outside during that cold weather,” Being someone who has participated in the event in some capacity for the past couple years, Nydokus says that the importance of the event can’t even be put into words.
Registration can be done by going to the Coldest Night of the Year website. Individuals can head to the walks registration at 4 pm on the day of the event and the walk will take place at 5 pm.