The John Howard Society of Fredericton hosts the Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) fundraiser walk every Feb. 24 to raise money for charities and shelters to combat hurt, hunger and homelessness.
The crowd took to downtown Fredericton on Saturday evening and wore bright yellow, white and blue toques that embellished the snowflake symbol of Coldest Night of the Year along with 190 other locations across Canada.
“It’s been great. The response by the community has been absolutely unbelievable, especially in these difficult times,” Tim Fox, John Howard Society of Fredericton’s event director said.
Fredericton’s CNOY event has raised $111,921 this year, which surpassed its goal of $80,000.
Fox said that the organization will accept donations until the end of March, with hopes that the same turnout will be expected for next year’s event.
CNOY allows for sponsors to donate as a team or as an individual fundraiser.
Dawn Mockler is one of the CNOY individual fundraisers who was invited to attend and fundraise for the event after one of her cartoons was recognized by John Howard Society of Fredericton.
“You just hope that if anything were to happen and they needed help – that there would be help for them. Whether it be the CHIMO support line or to just know that the community cares as a mom and as a citizen,” Mockler said.
Mockler walked the 5-kilometre route of the fundraiser with a smile on her face. She said it takes a community to care about one individual and that if her children were to experience hurt, hunger or homelessness she would want someone to help them.
The New Maryland Lions Club is a team that took the challenge of fundraising for Fredericton’s event.
Bill O’Donnell of the New Maryland Lions Club said that the cold temperatures walkers endured during the event is only a taste of the cold others have to live through.
“Our Lions Club, like other Lions Club’s around the world, serves community needs – and the homeless is certainly a pressing need,” O’Donnell said.
The New Maryland Lions Club has raised $2,490 for this year’s event. They hope to return next year and to see more awareness for the people experiencing homelessness.
Another team joining CNOY was CIBC. The team has raised $1,940 to donate to John Howard Society for the cause.
“I had a good friend that unfortunately was in need of services that the John Howard Society and this walk supports. With them in mind, I started to think about how I could give back or help others,” team captain of CIBC for the Fredericton area Ann-Marie Brideau said.
Brideau said that this is her second year joining the walk and that having the ability to raise awareness and supporting a good cause is something she plans to do annually.
The programs that John Howard Society of Fredericton operates help the city’s most vulnerable people, including children as young as twelve years old.
The programs include the CHIMO Helpline which offers support to those in crisis 24/7, the Youth Intervention Services for youth ages twelve to 30, the housing services for people who need a home and the housing-focused shelter services for those who need shelter.
The CNOY event was created by Blue Sea Foundation in 2011 to raise awareness for immediate problems that people who are experiencing homelessness face in the winter and to fundraise money for the charities that fight hurt, hunger and homelessness.
Blue Sea Foundation is a Canadian charity that offers training and support to charities and organizations across Canada to plan and facilitate fundraising to the best of their ability.
John Howard Society of Fredericton became an organization to facilitate this event in 2014 and celebrated its 10th-year anniversary.
