This year’s Coldest Night of the Year event in Rimbey saw the highest turnout for the walk last month.
“Usually it’s just five to 10 people, but this year was like 25 to 30, so that was nice,” said Judy Fairfield, one of the organizers of the Rimbey event.
The walk and run is held across Canada, and people can pledge money to go to a good cause. Participants register online to set up their personal page, set a goal and begin fundraising and finding donors. The donors are then given a receipt of their secure gift of $20 or more.
It was four years ago that Fairfield got a group of women together from a church group to do a blessing, and picked the Rimbey Food Bank as their blessing.
As it went on, the group of ladies became busy with other things, so Fairfield reached out to a partner of hers named Dirma Roseboom. The two then opened up the event and asked Rimbey’s Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) for their support, so they agreed and even gave out hot chocolate at the end of the walk and run.
This year’s walk and run raised over $6,500 to go to both the Rimbey Food Bank and FCSS.
“We were very happy with it,” said Fairfield, adding that she hopes the whole town can get involved one day.