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Coldest Night walk is 'critical' for Gathering Place

Winds whipped wildly Saturday evening during the Coldest Night of the Year walk Downtown, but that didn't deter supporters from gathering for the Gathering Place
coldest night rv 2017

The coldest night only comes once a year, but the generosity felt for those in need can be felt throughout the year.

It was then, on Saturday night, hundreds of supporters within the community streamed across Downtown North Bay for the Coldest Night of the Year event in support of the Gathering Place.

Every year across the country communities gather to support the less fortunate within their cities, but for the Gathering Place’s executive director Dennis Chippa, it’s something particularly special in North Bay.

“This is amazing,” he said, watching the blue and yellow toque-clad participants march down the street. “I think a big part of it is North Bay. People appreciate what we do, that we’re a voice for the folks in this community who are voiceless, and I think it’s a good reflection of what a caring community we have.”

The walk, which also serves to raise awareness within communities of the difficult temperatures and winter conditions faced by the homeless in Canada, featured three route options, of two, five, and ten kilometers respectively with rest stops. Starting at The Grande Event Centre downtown and circling around, the routes were equipped with signage to convey some of the details day-to-day concerns the Gathering Place faces.

“I’m pretty sure we got our goal,” Chippa said confidently, the ticker to $55,000 at 99 percent online. “This all goes towards the basic stuff, like food, heat, hydro, all of it. It goes to keep the doors open and keep us functioning.”

He said the funding from this single event was crucial and would represent approximately four to five months of operations for the Gathering Place.

“We’re a really tight ship,” he said. “Staff works really hard to make sure we save as much money as possible, but to be able to have this funding and be comfortable with it allows us to do more long-term planning.”


Ryen Veldhuis

About the Author: Ryen Veldhuis

Writer. Photographer. Adventurer. An avid cyclist, you can probably spot him pedaling away around town.
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