Online registrations are now open for this year's Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser to support Inn from the Cold, Newmarket's homeless shelter.
Although the annual event is going ahead this year, the pandemic has caused a bit of a slow start for finding business sponsors, and the walk itself will be held in a much different way than in previous years.
"Well over 100 communities walk at the same time on the same day, and it's a great event; it's fun, family friendly, and it raises awareness. Traditionally the whole community gets together, political leaders are all there, and we get lets of community sponsors," said Ann Watson, executive director of Inn From the Cold.
"But this year, sadly, the walk will be on Feb. 20, but it will be a virtual event."
Because of the public health restrictions on organized events, it will be impossible for participants to gather downtown for a kickoff ceremony and walk the event route together. So instead, people will be walking the same distance on their own.
"So we will have virtual kickoff with a virtual warm-up. Politicians have been asked to provide video messages, which we will put on Facebook starting next week, encouraging people to stay involved and continue to support us. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year," said Watson.
"We will try to come up with some recommended routes for people ... that families will find interesting."
NewmarketToday's columnist, History Hound Richard MacLeod, has put together three different walking routes for this year's event based on his knowledge of local history, including a ghost walk, a tour of 1950s Main Street and a route highlighting historical properties.
"Since everything is virtual this year, I have recorded a virtual walking tour of Newmarket's designated historic properties which people who donate will be sent," said MacLeod, who can be contacted at thehistoryhound@rogers.com
"As well, I have extended the offer that I will present one additional heritage walk any time in 2021 for those who donate once we are able to do it."
Last year, the walk raised $80,000, which helped support many things at the shelter, including the Inn's extensive volunteer programs. Watson is encouraging people to head to the Coldest Night website to register and get donation pledges in the weeks leading up to the event.
She also noted that they are still looking for a local business to step up to be this year's main sponsor.
Every year, people who raise more $150 or more receive special tuques as a sign of their accomplishment, and Watson said this year would be no different. The details of exactly how the hats will be distributed are still being decided. Still, organizers are looking at setting up one or more distribution points in town where participants can come and get them in a safe manner.
One of the significant downsides of holding a virtual event is that there are fewer opportunities for the shelter's clients to be involved in running the event. So they may have a single drive-by distribution point on the day of the walk where clients will pass out the tuques and other pieces of swag in people's trunks.
Watson said it is important that the clients be involved and that the public see who they are helping by participating.
"It's a stereotype buster for people. At a car wash held by our clients, a little girl asked one of them, 'where are all the homeless people?' The stereotype that they are this immediately recognizable, homogeneous group is quickly dispelled."
