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#3 - Just a Guy

You know, I was driving a forklift for a lot of the time when I was starting this, so I'm not coming in with a big amount of knowledge on how to run events. I've learned it along the way.


Like, volunteerism has always been something I've really been interested in. I think a big part of it was when we started walking with Coldest Night of the Year. A friend of mine invited us to walk. We did... and loved it. What we really valued about it was that it was an opportunity to help our neighbours in our community.


So that was when we lived in Kitchener - moving out here (Innerkip, near Woodstock), it was a misconception of mine coming from a bigger community there would be less visible homelessness. But I was really gripped the first time going downtown that it was still a problem in a smaller area.


I just wanted to see where the closest Coldest Night of the Year around here was. And when I found out there wasn't one, I had to see what I needed to do to to start a walk!

2025: Just a Guy“Like people think, what can I do? How can I help? And it feels good to do good.”

First thing I needed to do was get my hands on a charity that would be willing to be the host. I ended up with Operation Sharing, who run a lot of programs in Oxford County, and one of the only emergency homeless shelters here in the county.


I just had the drive to make it happen. And I knew that people are really passionate about this cause and all they needed to do was be tied together, to an event. And Coldest Night of the Year lets that happen.


So once the groundwork was laid, people just showed up, and it was it was amazing. People donated and walked!


This is outside of your professional life. This is about you as a human, and seeing a need. Scott did a lot of work to bring something like that here into our community.


So in the year one, with a $20,000 goal, we passed $80,000 in fundraising and sponsorship. So that was great! The second year, we raised over $210,000 with the same format. So that was just incredible too, and people are still talking about that year. And Operation Sharing has grown in leaps and bounds.


He's just a guy, right? Like the the tremendous impact that can come from one person. Like people think, “what can I do?” “How can I help?” And it feels good to do good.


If you're a person who's got to do something or is looking for a way to help - the Coldest Night of the Year, there's got to be a location somewhere near you. Or if there's not, then I mean, it's not the end of the world to to start one up.

Got questions about the Coldest Night of the Year?
info@cnoy.org | 1.877.743.3413