A long line of walkers headed out from John Barsby Secondary School on Saturday night, supporting the annual Coldest Night of the Year event, in support from the Island Crisis Care Society. (Image Credit: Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

coldest night of the year

‘It deserves the support:’ Nanaimo & Oceanside walks raise vital funding

Mar 1, 2026 | 9:29 AM

NANAIMO — Hundreds came out in force Saturday night to raise vital funds for an area non-profit.

The annual Coldest Night of the Year walks in Nanaimo and Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, aimed to raise over $250,000, towards the Island Crisis Care Society.

Hundreds gathered at John Barsby Secondary in Nanaimo, as well as at St. Stephen’s Church in Qualicum Beach, completing either two or five kilometre walks through neighbourhood streets.

“It’s always exciting to see people show up, you never really know what the turnout is going to be like,” Jennifer Short, Society development manager, said. “We’re really lucky that on these good weather days we tend to get a few more walkers out which is great. We’ve already passed where we were last year which is fantastic.”

As of late Saturday, fundraisers in Nanaimo had achieved 92 per cent of their goal by collecting just over $116,000.

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Oceanside donors again blew expectations out of the water, with 113 per cent of the goal, or nearly $142,000, raised.

All money raised stays in the community where it was collected and goes into a Community Impact Fund.

“It’s a flexible fund that we have that really just lets us say yes to clients when they’re going through crisis,” Short told NanaimoNewsNOW. Workboots or groceries or glasses, we’ve bought dentures, all these things where other funding can’t support.”

It was a long line of walkers leaving John Barsby Saturday evening. (Image Credit: Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Noreen Chase led her team from the First Baptist Church in Nanaimo and is a regular at the annual event.

She said numbers of participants have increased over the years she has been involved and many of her financial backers proactively reach out to her each year asking if it was time to support the campaign.

“I’m also a volunteer with Island Crisis Care Society, so I work side by side with their wonderful staff and have gotten to know some of their clients and seen the benefits they receive from this great organization. It deserves the support of all of us.”

Joining forces this year were the region’s five Rotary clubs in Nanaimo and Lantzville.

Team captain Evelyn Boegh initially became involved through her community work with the Rotary Club of Rotary Daybreak, but was proud to help gather everyone together.

“We started doing this seven or eight years ago, and now we’re doing this as a five club event through Rotary clubs in Nanaimo and Lantzville. We really appreciate the work Island Crisis Care Society does in our community, so it’s really important for us to support that organization.”

Following the walk, participants returned to their start point for a warm dinner.

Final fundraising totals are expected to be finalized over the next week, with some donations coming in after Saturday’s event.

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