St. Catharines RRT Assists by Serving a Meal at The Coldest Night of the Year Participants
The temperature in downtown St. Catharines on the evening of February 25, 2017 was above freezing – a balmy 3° Celsius – with a steady, cold 35 km/h wind blowing in from the north. Such are the conditions that face many homeless persons in Canada each winter. This winter has been very warm compared to the average, and February 25th was definitely not the coldest night of the year. But it was plenty cold enough to make sleeping on the street very uncomfortable.
That is why the Coldest Night of the Year organization arranges an annual mid-winter fundraising walks all across Canada. The 2017 event has raised over $4.4 million nationally, with donations flowing in until the end of March. The St. Catharines Coldest Night of the Year event, championed by an organization called Start Me Up Niagara, punches well above its weight, impressively raising nearly $100,000.
Of course, the event couldn’t happen without the support of scores of volunteers, including the Plymouth Brethren’s Rapid Relief Team (RRT). Volunteers began flooding Market Square early in the day, setting up audio equipment, tables, booths, and signs. RRT arrived on the scene around 3:30-pm to start their duties. The team was divided up, providing critical support where it was needed. RRT tasks included registration, serving food to participants, and route marshalling.
With such a great team of volunteer labor, the event got off to a prompt start, and flowed smoothly through the entire evening, with the last walkers crossing the finish line from the 10-km route (2x as long as the standard route) by about 7:00-pm.
It was a great opportunity for everyone to get out in support of the less fortunate, and participants and volunteers alike should all have gone home feeling very humbled.
