Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Napanee’s Coldest Night of the Year continues to march towards its fundraising goal ahead of Saturday’s walk.
As of Monday morning a total of $42,060 has been pledged to Morningstar Relief Mission Inc., representing 70 per cent of the event’s $60,000 goal.
As details begin to get finalized ahead of Saturday’s walk, organizers have announced it will be an in-person event. Participants will meet in the parking lot of Napanee’s Trinity United Church, with check-in starting at 4 p.m. Following brief remarks at 5 p.m., walkers will begin their route through downtown, with a rest stop at Morningstar Mission, which is about halfway through the loop that ends back at Trinity United. The entire event will be held outdoors with CNOY marshals stationed throughout the route from 5 to 7 p.m. to assist anyone and give directions.
“We know that restrictions have eased and we are able to be together up to a certain number, but we also recognize that in KFLA we’ve maybe had some challenges that other communities haven’t in terms of COVID and we want everybody to be as safe and as comfortable as possible,” said event organizer Lynda Carney.
Participants will be given toques and a ‘to-go’ box of food they can either enjoy on their walk of take home later.
Carney says she expects about 70 per cent of walkers will show up in-person while another 30 per cent will opt to do their walk ‘virtually’ on their own time. For those doing their own route, they can pick up their toques from the Mission on Feb. 24 between 3-5 p.m. or 6-8 p.m.
Carney says donations have really picked up as they near the home stretch.
“Our walkers seem to be gaining momentum and enthusiasm and things are slowly coming together,” said Carney.
CNOY will be held in communities across Canada this Saturday which each one raising funds for a local charity that serves people experiencing hurt, hunger and homelessness. The walk is held in winter to give people just a small taste of what it’s like living on the streets with no shelter.
Participants can still sign up for the event or make a pledge by visiting CNOY.org and searching Napanee.