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Coldest Night of the Year to be virtual again in February

Annual fundraising event for Nelson housing happens Feb. 26
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Sandra Bernier (left) and Althea Kettlewell, Nelson CARES staff and top Nelson fundraisers. Photo: Bobbi Barbarich

Submitted by Nelson CARES

Nelson CARES Society is launching the eighth annual Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) fundraising campaign. The event will be held on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022 as a fully virtual event. It will look very similar to the event in 2021 to heed the recommended COVID 19 restrictions.

Participants previously walked in-person in Nelson in support of Nelson CARES Society but this year they are invited to walk and fundraise virtually.

A virtual CNOY means registrants can walk and fundraise on their own or with their team. They’ll design their own two kilometre or five km route to walk closer to home at a time that works for them on Feb. 26 or anytime in February.

The most important elements of the event will still be in place – Nelsonites will be out there walking in the cold and supporting people at risk of homelessness. There will be smaller gaggles walking together and they will enjoy a yummy chilli dinner in their own homes.

For the past five years, the Ready For Home program has been fully funded by Coldest Night of the Year annual events. At the core of Ready For Home is a full-time paid staff member who works one-on-one with individuals to maintain their health and housing and prevent homelessness. This program assists Nelson CARES tenants with life skills development; connection to health services, employment and income supports anything that will help these residences stay in the affordable housing units and off the streets.

CNOY 2022 details:

• The event will be a fully virtual event — walk in your household, co-worker, friend bubble, fundraising stays the same.

• No registration fee: With no registration fee, everyone is welcome to walk and support Nelson CARES Society. Sign up at www.cnoy.org/nelson.

• Thank you toques: The toques are a smashing yellow cable knit. Build your CNOY toque collection with our thanks for raising a modest amount of $150 (adults) or $75 (youth under 17). Closer to event day, the local CNOY organizer will provide a safe way to pick them up.

• Cash and cheques: Because we aren’t gathering together, there’ll be no cash or cheque collection on event day this year. Cheques must be mailed directly to CNOY head office for processing. Full details on the CNOY Nelson website.

Nelson CARES Society wishes to thank its 2022 sponsors. Returning for a fourth year as lead sponsor is Valhalla Pure Nelson, and joining them in this role for the second year is the Nelson Home Building Centre.

There is also an impressive list of sponsors including Nelson and District Credit Union, Kootenay Co-op, Inland Allcare Industrial Distribution, CitySpaces Consulting Ltd. Event Sponsors including the Ellenwood Homes, Bowick Electric, Derek Diener and Melanie Ward (Dominion Lending), Nelson Brewing Company, Nelson Ford, Mistiso’s Place Vacation Rentals, and NSDA Architects. If your business is interested in sponsoring this event and supporting the work of Nelson CARES Society please reach out to cnoy@nelsoncares.ca.

Sign up and help make Nelson a warmer place everyone. Head to www.cnoy.org/nelson, and please check out the Facebook page: Coldest Night of the Year: Nelson, BC and the Instagram page: @coldest_night_nelson.