On the night of February 26, the cold air and falling snow were triumphed over by the warmth of Huntsville’s community spirit and the culmination of compassion, generosity, and dedication to a worthwhile cause.
The Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) fundraiser, an annual walk to raise money and awareness for charities that help the hurting, hungry, and homeless, is an exceptional display of the difference one community can make.
One hundred and sixty-four walkers and 29 teams were registered to participate this year and collectively raised more than $85,000 for the cause, far surpassing The Table’s $60,000 goal. Heather Cassie, the CEO of The Table, asked the crowd if anyone was present for the first year and several participants raised their hands, further exemplifying the dedication many people in the community have to this cause each year.
“Thank you all so much for raising so many funds,” Cassie said. “It’s amazing that the Town of Huntsville has so many people on their team.”
The Table Soup Kitchen Foundation serves approximately 10,371 meals per year to over 5.3 per cent of the Huntsville population, as well as 19 other surrounding communities.The funds raised will go toward supporting the various programs The Table offers those in need, including food bank, soup kitchen, exchange store, and men’s hostel, as well as future upgrades and renovations to The Table building.
The lead sponsor of this year’s walk was MBRP Ltd., and the supporting sponsors were Tulloch and Randy Blain Construction. Andy Griffiths of MBRP Ltd. was in attendance and emphasized the positive impact CNOY has on the community.
“On behalf of the MBRP family, I am honoured to be a part of this great event. We want you to know how important this outreach is to MBRP and the community. It’s great people like you that keep The Table accessible for so many all year long,” Griffiths said to the participants. “With The Table, I’ve been able to volunteer and it has helped me as a person and as a parent to show my children what volunteering does and the power that it has.”
Various local businesses donated food for the event and Slice of Muskoka provided a rest stop with snacks and refreshments along the route.
Algonquin Outfitters donated $100 gift certificates and kayak and canoe day rentals to members of the leading fundraising teams. The winning team was The Town Walkers led by captain Councillor Jason FitzGerald, which raised $22,360; runner-up team was Walking Cold Warriors led by Katy McGregor, which raised $15,195.
Paula Paunic, the event director for this year’s CNOY walk, was also in attendance and expressed her extreme gratitude to all those who took part.
“A huge thank you to each of the team captains and walkers for being part of The Coldest Night of the Year,” Paunic said. “We hope you’ll come back next year and bring your friends!”
Cassie dedicated this year’s walk in memory of her late husband, Evan Martell, who passed away in October of 2021. Martell was a volunteer at The Table, a staff member at the men’s hostel, and was committed to raising funds for the Coldest Night walk every year.
“His dream was to fundraise for the Table full-time, so I felt that honouring him this way was rather fitting,” Cassie says. “He would’ve liked that.”
Donations will continue to be accepted until March 31, 2022. To donate, visit cnoy.org.
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