Warmhearted walkers did not let the chilly, wet weather keep them from making strides in support of food security in the Shuswap.
On Saturday (Feb. 22) evening, around 280 people gathered at the downtown SASCU parking lot to participate in the Coldest Night of the Year event. After opening remarks, participating individuals and teams ventured on either a two- or five-kilometre route, their rainy trek ending at the front of downtown Askew's Foods.
"The point of the event is to maybe have that sense of discomfort so we appreciate people's perseverance and dedication to the cause," said Melanie Bennett with the Shuswap Food Action Society (SFAS), which hosted the event. "People knew there was still a chance of rain but they still showed up and I think that's a testament to our community."
Those dedicated participants not only completed the event but also exceeded the $80,000 fundraising goal in support of SFAS. As of Monday morning, Feb. 24, $86,485 had been raised. The money helps the non-profit organization continue its efforts to address food insecurity, increase food and nutrition literacy, and grow the local food economy, with various initiatives that include school meal programs, Shuswap family food boxes, the Shuswap Community Teaching Garden and the John McLeod Community Garden.
"It really goes to show that this cause 鈥� people can feel it, they can see it," said Bennett. "Food insecurity is a very big topic and I think they're seeing our growth, it's taken us many years to get to where we are but I think people have been watching our growth and appreciate the work we do. That's why they showed up, that's why they're fundraising for us."
Bennett also praised the volunteers who helped run the event, stating "We cannot pull that off without the volunteers that we had so we're really grateful for that."
