Walkers from Cambridge and over 200 other cities will be participating in the Coldest Night of the Year charity walk this Saturday and for the first time in many years, frigid temperatures and snow will make it a suitable challenge for participants.
For organizers at Urban Hope Missionaries, that's the entire point of the walk, which aims to raise $50,000 to support people experiencing hunger or homelessness.
“When people did the ALS ice bucket challenge, the idea of that was to briefly feel what it felt like to have ALS, because you get pins and needles and cold and stuff," said Louise Wyszynski, of Urban Hope. "So, with the walk, we walk two or five [kilometres], and by the end of that most people are perhaps a bit wet, cold, but we come back to a hot chocolate and hot chili.”
If you're homeless, you don't necessarily have anything to come back to.
"The idea is to think about how you would feel, basically," Wyszynski said.
The cross-Canada event supports a different local charity in each city, with funds from the Cambridge walk supporting between 140 to 200 people experiencing hunger or homelessness. The charity is part of the Cambridge Vineyard Christian Fellowship.
Throughout the year, Urban Hopes provides members of the Cambridge community with hot meals, clothing, grocery items, hygiene facilities, life skills development and support.
As of Feb. 18, the Cambridge walk has raised over $30,000, and is 65 per cent of its way to its fundraising goal.
Participants can choose between a 2 kilometre or 5 kilometre walk, with both routes beginning and ending at the Cambridge Vineyard Christian Fellowship. Rest stops with snacks will be available along the way, with a light meal served after the walk.
“At Urban Hope, we are a place that has open arms,” said the charity's director Christine Lakatos. “Our main community that does come in is homeless … but everyone’s invited, we’re here to help in any way we can.”
Coldest Night of the Year provides participants with an opportunity to get involved in their communities and raise money for a good cause, but also to have a good time while doing it.
“We had so much fun the last couple years,” said Lakatos. “We can shout and scream and celebrate, and we’re all wearing the same hats and we’ll carry signs and we cheer each other on and people are honking, and it really is a lot of fun.”
CNOY Cambridge accepts registrations up until the event begins Saturday at 5 p.m.
Those that cannot attend the event but want to contribute are encouraged to register, fundraise and walk offsite.