Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Participants in Napanee’s Coldest Night of the Year gave it their all-and then some-raising 102 per cent of the fundraising goal.
With donations still being accepted through the end of the month, that number will surely grow. But as of last count, the annual fundraising walk held on Saturday evening brought in over $102,000 for the Morningstar Mission.
Over 200 participants, dressed in matching gray toques, gathered in the parking lot of Napanee’s Trinity United Church on Saturday evening for a quick pep talk before marching the 5 km route through town. The annual walk is held in 182 communities across Canada, each one raising funds for local charities that assist with people experiencing hurt, hunger and homelessness. The walk is held on a winter’s evening to help emphasize the challenges those without shelter can face during Canada’s harshest season.
Here in Napanee, the funds will go towards funding the Mission’s warming centre, which provides shelter to those in need throughout the winter months.
Morningstar Mission board chair Steve Martin addressed the crowd just before the walk got underway.
“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken,” said Martin, quoting Ecclesiastes, 4:12. “I’ll tell you what, this is a thousand braided cord we got going on right now in our community. It’s just absolutely amazing to see.”
Napanee Coldest Night of the Year event organizer Lynda Carney addresses the crowd ahead of the 2023 walk. Photo by Adam Prudhomme.
Among the top earners were the team of Stone Mills RC Parishes ($17,435), Winter is Cold! ($8,780) and Trinity United Church ($5,920). Special mention was made to six-year-old Gabriel Kerr, who raised $3,395.
With over $100,000 raised already, the 2023 event has far surpassed 2022’s total, which topped out at $81,000 and stands as the new high point for the five-year-old event.
Greater Napanee mayor Terry Richardson noted the fundraising event is a huge step in the right direction towards dealing with the growing issue of homelessness.
“Many people in our community and beyond struggle to afford and maintain the basic needs of life,” said Richardson. “The needs that a lot of us take for granted. Events like this afternoon’s event are a positive step forward but by no means is it the complete answer. There are many obstacles and hurdles that exist that we as a community, as a province and a country need to overcome in order top minimize the risks and vulnerabilities people experience in our community.”
Money can still be donated to the cause throughout the month of March bi visiting https://cnoy.org/location/napanee.
