Folks of all ages are invited to help homeless and at-risk seniors.
The Seniors Services Society is hard at work on plans for this year’s Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser, which will take place on Saturday, Feb. 25 at River Market and the Quay.
“We are going to be out walking in a two-, five- and 10-kilometre walk to raise funds for our housing programs,” said Brian Dodd, the society’s interim executive director. “That funding goes toward all the incidentals that you forget about when you are talking someone from a point of homelessness to a home. In many cases, most of the seniors we are working with have nothing.”
Funds raised will help seniors in a variety of ways.
“We are supplying furniture; we are supplying kitchen goods; sometimes gift cards for food so they can do that first stock-up in the fridge,” Dodd said. “Sometimes it means coming up with a damage deposit. When you are looking at a rent of about $900 a month for a very basic unit and you have to come up with another $475 for a damage deposit, that’s a pretty big chunk all at once for someone on a fixed income. That’s what we are raising money for.”
The Seniors Services Society is trying to get as many people as possible to attend this year’s Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser.
“Our goal is to raise $45,000. That is up about $10,000 from last year,” Dodd said. “We are optimistic. We really need the funds. Government funding seems to be decreasing; the need seems to be increasing. We have just got to get out there and do what we can to fill that need.”
Community members are invited to raise funds ahead of time, or show and make a donation and go for a walk on Feb. 25.
“It’s a neat way for the community to come together, on probably a brisk evening, to raise funds for a good cause,” Dodd said.
About 20 teams took part the 2016 event, and 12 have already signed up for this year’s fundraiser.
“Some of those teams were two or three people; some were 10 or 12 people. There were a lot of people involved,” Dodd said. “We want to increase those numbers this year. So far it’s looking pretty good.”
The Seniors Services Society is officially launching this year’s event in partnership with Quayside Community Board at its annual general meeting on Feb. 1. The Quayside Community Board plans to run some challenges between buildings at the Quay to support the Coldest Night of the Year, which starts and finishes at River Market and includes a walk at the Quay.
Dodd said a number of local businesses are helping out so the society can host the Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser at little or no cost.
“Basically we get together at 5 o’clock for registration and a bit of a rah-rah session. Then it’s the walk,” he said. “Afterwards, we supply hot soup or chili and buns, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. (It’s) an opportunity for everybody to get together and chat and warm up.”
For more information or to register for the Coldest Night of the Year, visit https://canada.cnoy.org/location/newwestminster or call the Seniors Services Society office at 604-520-6621.
