Following a record-breaking fundraising total for the 2023 Coldest Night of the Year, the event is back on Feb. 24 in Nanaimo and Oceanside, which are both on track for another banner year.(File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Jordan Davidson

walk a mile

Coldest Night of the Year looking to set new donation records for Nanaimo & Oceanside

Feb 24, 2024 | 6:18 AM

NANAIMO — The biggest fundraiser for the Island Crisis Care Society (ICCS) is back this weekend, and it’s never too late to add your support.

After receiving record-breaking donations in 2023, the annual Coldest Night of the Year is back in Nanaimo and Oceanside this Saturday, Feb. 24, with participants walking two or five kilometres in the winter air.

Event coordinator with ICCS Jennifer Short said as of Friday, Feb. 23, both Nanaimo and Oceanside teams were nearing their fundraising goals to support marginalized people.

“It’s very exciting, Oceanside is moments away from hitting their goal of $101,000 this year, and in Nanaimo, we’re at about 70 per cent of our goal, we’re at about $104,000 which is amazing.”

Nanaimo has a fundraising goal of $150,000 this year, after raising $116,000 last year, while Oceanside raised around $88,000 in 2023.

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Check-in for the Nanaimo walk is at 4:00 p.m. at St. Andrews Church (315 Fitzwilliam St.) with the walk starting at 5:00 p.m., which will take them around Nanaimo’s downtown before finishing at St. Andrews around 6:00 p.m., where a light, warm meal will be served.

“It’s just a great way for people to take a moment and experience a little bit of what it’s like to be outside in the cold and the dark and have the opportunity to come into a warm space at the end of the event,” said Short. “That is something that unfortunately many people who are living outside don’t have the opportunity to have somewhere warm to go to when they get cold.”

In Oceanside, check-in time is 4:00 p.m. at St. Stephens United Church (150 Village Way, Qualicum Beach), with the walk starting at 5:00 p.m. and finishing around 6:00 p.m. back at St. Stephens where a light meal will also be served.

Money raised from both events helps ICCS provide programs in supportive housing options in Nanaimo and Oceanside.

The five kilometre loop through downtown Nanaimo for the 2022 Coldest Night of the Year was a wet one. Forcasters are calling for a chance of rain with a high of 10 on Feb. 24 for Nanaimo. (Coldest Night of the Year)

Short said the warm meal at the end of the walk is to symbolize what it’s like for those living on the street to find even a brief moment of solace.

“The idea is, for that brief time that we’re out walking people can get an idea of what it may feel like and then having that relief of coming in somewhere warm and having something to eat afterwards.”

She said you can still register for the event, and contribute however you can.

You can even show up and register at the event.

“Some people sign up to fundraise, some people sign up to help bring awareness to the event. There doesn’t have to be a monetary component to be part of the event, we just love to see people out supporting Nanaimo, what we do in Nanaimo, and just bringing more awareness to what is going on in our community right now.”

Coldest Night of the Year is run in 183 communities across Canada and the United States, with the ICCS organizing Nanaimo’s event for the last 14 years.

More information, including donating and registration is available on the event website.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow