North Island Coldest Night of the Year Events Surpass Fundraising Goals - Top Turnout in the Country!

The Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser wrapped up this past weekend, we spoke with the organizers of both the Campbell River Event, and the Comox Valley event about the results!

The Coldest Night of the Year is a fundraiser and awareness event designed to put people with homes in a situation similar to what unhoused people experience, even for a short amount of time. Putting yourself in somebody else’s shoes really gives you perspective that is near impossible to find elsewhere. 

Being unhoused in the cold is a painful, exhausting, and isolating experience for far too many people. This event helps ease the stress on those who are unhoused in our communities, by fundraising for local housing resources and non-profits. 

Diane Palmer, the Economic Development Coordinator for the North Island Transition Society, told us their fundraising total for the Campbell River event,

“So far, and we still do have a bit coming in, but so far our fundraising has reached $42,000!”

She also spoke with us about their “polar bear swim contest”, whoever raised the least amount of money between her and her co-worker Valerie will be dipping in the ocean on Wednesday morning!

“You know what on Saturday night it all changed and I was significantly ahead, but Valerie received a donation today that put her in the lead! We are holding onto it until the beginning of Wednesday morning, because Wednesday morning at 11:30am is our jump in time!”

Diane sounded a bit nervous at the possibility of being the one to polar bear dip, but reassured us it was completely worth it and she knew she could do it. 

“Yeah it’ll be fun, I think either way. It’s not something I’ve ever done before but I’m willing to try anything once. I guess…. *laughs*”

We cant wait to find out which of them is getting submerged tomorrow, we will keep you in the loop Raven Country!

We also spoke with Heather Ney, Executive Director from the Comox Valley Transition Society, who helped run the Comox Valley Coldest Night of the Year event, about their incredible turnout this year!

“It never ceases to amaze me the generosity of the Comox Valley when it comes to people that are less fortunate.”

“Right now we are sitting at $181,500.” A hugely significant number that will ensure much needed support of resources for homelessness in the Comox Valley. 

She told us they had a mind blowing amount of walkers this year, from all over the Valley.

“We had 90 teams signed up, and I think thats #1 in the country for number of teams in a community! We had 493 walkers.”

Ney finished by helping give us an idea of just how amazing the North Island’s participation was this year, compared to the rest of the country even!

“So we are #1 for the number of teams, and #4 for the total number of walkers! We are currently #7 for total dollars raised in the country. Out of 165 communities this year.”

Thanks so much to Diane Palmer and Heather Ney for the advocacy work they do, and for speaking with us yesterday.

Huge thank you also to everyone who attended or donated to the Coldest Night of the Year to support resources locally for the unhoused.