The Niagara College community once again came together at the Welland Campus for this year’s Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) walk in support of local residents in need experiencing hurt, hunger and homelessness.
In Welland alone, NC helped contribute to an impressive $111,537 raised in support of the Open Arms Mission of Welland, helping the organization continue its vital work in the community.
The NC Knight Walkers team was led this year by Courtney Booth, Hairstyling Technologist in the School of Trades, who stepped into the role of team captain for the first time after five years of participating in the walk.
“Serving as team captain for the Niagara College Knight Walkers this year has been such a rewarding experience,” said Booth. “It was incredible to see the Niagara College community come together, students, staff, families and friends, in support of Open Arms Mission. The weather was perfect on Saturday, and the energy throughout the walk truly reflected the heart of our campus.”
Participants gathered at the Learning Commons before heading out on the two-kilometre route around campus, returning for a post-walk reception that offered an opportunity to warm up, enjoy some food and reflect on the impact of the evening.
Following the walk, the NC Knight Walkers gathered in the Welland Campus Learning Commons, a new location for this year’s post-walk reception.
“Coldest Night of the Year is always powerful reminder of the impact we can make when we come together as a community,” said Carly Root, Director of Community Relations and Events (CRE). “It was especially meaningful to see our Learning Commons transformed into a welcoming space for connection and reflection for this year’s post-walk reception. Our Community Relations and Events team was proud to support the event, and we’re grateful to have partnered with NCSAC to host the post-walk reception, creating a warm and inviting place to unite the NC community for such an important cause.”
Members of the NCSAC team helped organize the post-walk reception, catering dinner and welcoming participants back to campus.
The annual fundraising walk was one of many Coldest Night of the Year events held nationwide, with each location supporting a local charity serving individuals in need within its own community.
NC was proud to be part of the nationwide Coldest Night of the Year initiative, which saw 40,139 walkers, 6,505 teams and 7,217 volunteers participate across 222 locations, supported by 134,005 donors and 2,630 sponsors. To date, more than $21,828 has been raised nationally.
Special thanks are extended to Courtney Booth for her leadership as Team Captain, the CRE team for their coordination and support in bringing the event to life, to Danny Cvetanovic and the NCSAC team for catering and organizing the post-walk reception, and to the entire NC community for walking, fundraising and donating in support of this important cause.
About Coldest Night of the Year and Open Arms Mission:
Coldest Night of the Year is a national fundraising walk held in communities across Canada in support of local charities. Since 2011, CNOY has raised millions to support programs for individuals experiencing homelessness, poverty, and food insecurity. All funds raised through the Welland walk stay local to support Open Arms Welland.
Founded in the mid-1980s, Open Arms Mission is a volunteer-driven organization that now serves more than 200,000 individuals each year, with children under 12 representing its fastest-growing demographic. Funds raised through Coldest Night of the Year will help ensure the organization can continue to meet the increasing needs of Welland’s most vulnerable residents.
