The Coldest Night of the Year is a winterrific family-friendly fundraising walk in support of local charities. Let’s change the tune for people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness... because it’s cold out there. Join us on February 22, 2025 - team up, fundraise, and walk with us!
Why Walk? Spoken Word Poetry
Hip Hop Artist and one time Youth Outreach Worker Switch tells us why we should take a walk to support Coldest Night of the Year.
Community Sponsors
Duncan (CMHA Cowichan Valley) is super grateful for our fantastic 2025 sponsors! View all sponsors >
Not able to join us in person at the Main Event? We hope you'll register, fundraise and walk offsite with friends and family.
Route Details
Route Distances: Check out the maps below to see where we will be walking.
Rest stop: Keep an eye out for opportunities to rest and refresh with yummy snacks along the route.
Signage: Routes will be well-signed with our bold blue CNOY signs.
Route Support: Route marshals, rest stop hosts, and support vehicle drivers provide support along the route.
Children 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.
No Pets: We love our little furballs like you do, but pets are not permitted at the Coldest Night of the Year except for approved and trained service animals. Read more about our pet policy >
Check-In
All walkers participating at the Main Event on Saturday, February 22, 2025 must check-in upon arrival.
Toques! Fundraising walkers who raise $150+ (or $75+ for those under 18) will receive a CNOY toque as a thank you on event day, while supplies last.
Offsite fundraising walkers can contact their local event director to arrange toque pickup the week of the event.
Credit Card: The Best Option! Simple, secure, automatically tax receipted for gifts of $20+. Visit the Donate page, share your personal page link, or have your donor call the CNOY Head Office.
Cheques: The Old Faithful - made out to Coldest Night of the Year with your name on the Memo line. Mail them to CNOY Head Office along with your completed pledge form.
Cash: You have 2 options:
1. Login to FundHub, click “Enter $$ and Cheques,” create pledges for your cash donations, pay them off with your personal credit card, and keep the cash. OR...
2. Write a cheque (made out to “Coldest Night of the Year”) for the total amount of cash you’ve collected. Mail it to the CNOY Head Office with your completed pledge sheet.
Waivers
All participants must register online and accept the electronic waiver.
Adults accept the waiver automatically when they register online.
Youth/Children under the age of majority need a waiver signed by their parent or guardian.
An online form will be emailed to all parents/guardians before CNOY Day.
Are you thrashing the competition (for a good cause)? Find out here! Stats are updated every 15 minutes. See how you stack up on the national scoreboard >
Teams
Walkers
#
Team Name
Captain
Members
Raised
1
CMHA Cowichan Youth Shelter Direct Donation Team
Anne Marie Thornton
1
#
Name
Team Name
Donors
Raised
1
Anne Marie Thornton
CMHA Cowichan Youth Shelter Direct Donation Team
The Challenge
Got a big-hearted business, workplace, group, church, or community? Step up and join the Challenge to compete for your local pride in support of CNOY. Check the National Challengeboard to see more!
The Canadian Mental Health Association - Cowichan Valley Branch, or the CMHA-Cowichan Valley Branch, facilitates access to the resources people require to maintain and improve mental health and community integration, build resilience, and support recovery from mental illness and addiction. During the Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk, we continue raising funds to create a safe space and programming for homeless youth in our community.
The Cowichan Valley has an estimated 400+ individuals that are unhoused or precariously housed /couch surfing, living in vehicles/. As housing becomes more scarce and less affordable, these numbers are increasing. Unfortunately, many of those individuals are youth. At a time in their lives when they need stability, direction and support, they have none. Some have left foster care or unhealthy family situations, some have disabilities and many struggle with trauma that we can't eve begin to imagine.
How can we help? We can start by providing a safe place for youth to drop in. We can start by listening while we provide the basics such as a warm meal, medical attention, a warm shower and clean clothes. We can learn about what they need and direct them to resources in the community. We could provide shelter and a soft place to land in hard times. Our goal is to provide the vital connection needed to change the course of their lives - and you can help by joining us on Saturday, February 22nd, 2025 for the Coldest Night of the Year.
2024 CNOY Photos
Special thanks to our many amazing volunteer photographers!