St. Luke’s walkers take part in Coldest Night of the Year
The St. Luke’s Walkers are extending an invitation to the community to join them for the Coldest Night of the Year, a national event that raises funds for youth who are at risk of homelessness.
Home Horizon is hosting the annual Coldest Night of the Year event, when supporters in Collingwood and South Georgian Bay will be walking in support of Home Horizon’s Barbara Weider House and to show support for youth who do not have a safe place to call home.
On Saturday, Feb. 24 people of South Georgian Bay will join over 190 communities across Canada for a two- or five-kilometre walk. Creemore’s team, the St. Luke’s Walkers will depart from St. Luke’s Anglican Church on Caroline Street West at 3 p.m. for a tour of the village and into the hills. The team invites everyone to join them for a portion of the walk or the whole route.
St. Luke’s Rev. Lorna May says the food bank volunteers see first hand people living in precarious housing situations. She said no one should have to live on the street and without heat in winter.
“We don’t tend to think of Collingwood as having homeless people,” said May. “When you think of Collingwood you think of affluence and skiing.”
In actual fact, Clearview’s homeless are likely to end up in Collingwood or Barrie.
Last year Home Horizon ranked sixth in the country for funds raised.
“The fact that we are able to rank so high is simple. We live in a community that cares deeply about the well-being of others,” said Joan Schatz, Home Horizon fundraising chair. “The South Georgian Bay area is a tight-knit community that understands the value of the work that Home Horizon is doing. We continue to need your help… please consider starting a team and walk with us. You continue to show the youth in our community that their safety is a priority and that their future is important.”
With a goal of raising $190,000 this year, Home Horizon’s mission is to extend their reach in the community to help as many youth as they can.
The Barbara Weider House’s transitional housing program is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and has capacity for 10 youth to live in the house, although there is currently 12 youth on the waiting list.
The youth outreach program also helps connect youth with other housing service organizations in our community. They work with youth facing complex and challenging barriers including poverty, mental health and addictions, sex trafficking, racism, trauma, family breakdown, conflictual home lives impacted by gender identity or sexual orientation. Home Horizon has served 236 youth and presently has 23 youth actively working with its Outreach Worker and the program to locate stable/long-term housing.
Donations can be made on line at cnoy.org/location/ collingwood and scroll down to find the St. Luke’s Walkers, or bring a cheque to the event, payable to Coldest Night of the Year. For more information contact Lorna May at 705-352-2759. Pets are welcome if they are leashed.
