Tillsonburg’s first Coldest Night of the Year raises $37,500

More than $37,500 was raised at Tillsonburg’s first-ever Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser organized by United Way Oxford.

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“We are super, super excited to launch our first-ever Coldest Night of the Year Walk in Tillsonburg and Ingersoll this evening,” said Kelly Gilson, executive director of United Way Oxford, thanking Tillsonburg’s 15 sponsors, approximately 23 teams and 119 walkers at the Lions Auditorium ready to begin their 2-km and 5-km walks on Saturday.

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“We are joining the approximately 250 other communities across Canada who are bringing community members together who care about the people, their neighbors, their friends, and they want to make a difference,” said Gilson.

Tillsonburg Mayor Deb Gilvesy also praised those who participated in the event.

“It never ceases to amaze me, that when this town needs to come together to support a very worthy cause, people show up, they volunteer,” said Gilvesy. “You are all here for an extremely worthy cause.

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“As a town, we were 100 per cent supportive of the transitional home and we feel blessed that we have one in Tillsonburg.”

There is an increasing need in Tillsonburg, said Rotarian Rick Cox, a board member for United Way Oxford.

“Unfortunately, as all of us have seen, there is an increasing need for services in smaller communities like Tillsonburg,” Cox said. “But we also know that people really wanted to help make a difference helping the most vulnerable folk in our communities. What has been raised here in Tillsonburg will be re-invested back into Tillsonburg. The work that you have put in leading up to tonight will mean more services and more support for people experiencing hurt, hunger and homelessness.”

Five individual walkers raised more than $1,000 in Tillsonburg for the Coldest Night of the Year.

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The Rotary Club of Tillsonburg, the No. 1 team, raised $6,700.

“Our Rotary Club sponsored the event and our team has done a really good job as a club fundraiser,” said Cox. “(Rotarian) Mike Cerna was able to personally raise over $1,400.”

Cerna, who would be doing the 2-km route, said he wanted to help the needy and the transitional house in Tillsonburg.

“I like to give to everyone,” said Cerna.

The walk is an important event for the Salvation Army in the town.

“For us, we have seen an incredible up-switch in how many people are homeless and how many people come to us for food. Not just single people, but families, children,” said Kristina Curtis, administrative assistant, Salvation Army – Tillsonburg. “So events like this that are keeping families off the streets, keeping people in their homes are very important.”

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More than $400 was raised by the Salvation Army team through donations at the Thrift Store.

“We’ve seen the need from people coming up to see us in our Family Services offices,” said Curtis. “We see the need when we’re out in our community. We see the need in our parks. It’s very dear to my heart that we raise awareness.”

“For us as an agency, it’s extremely important,” said Amanda Cook from the Oxford County Community Health Center (OCCHC) team, one of the $1,000-plus fundraisers who planned to walk the 5-km route.

The OCCHC team included Jade Phillips, who runs the transitional house in Tillsonburg, and Maggie Klassen, who staffs it.

“We see the outcome day-to-day,” said Cook, “and we get to experience the joys – and the sorrows – of some people who are homeless.”

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Gilson was pleased with the outcome for the inaugural walk.

“We are so, so thrilled that the community believed in this event and came together to support it and to support us,” Gilson summed up. “It really means a great deal and it’s inspiring because we know it’s the first year. Our initial goal was $20,000, so the fact that they almost doubled what we initially thought would be a realistic goal speaks volumes about the generosity of the people and community members who want to get involved to make a personal difference. The community support is amazing.”

The dollars raised will be well-spent at the transitional house, by walk-in counseling partners and street outreach, said Gilson.

“We want to expand our services here in the community. The money raised in Tillsonburg will stay in Tillsonburg to help Tillsonburg.”

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