When it snowed in Langley on the same day a cold weather warning was in effect, five-year-old Ruby Lobert was glad she was indoors.
“I’m glad I didn’t have to sleep in the snow,” Ruby recalled.
“But did you know what? Some people have to sleep in the snow, and I want to help them.”
On Saturday, Ruby, her mom Nikki and other members of the Immanuel Christian Reformed Church in Murrayville took part in a virtual version of the annual Coldest Day of the Year (CNOY) fundraiser, walking in their neighbourhood to raise funds to help the needy.
Before that, the mother and daughter dropped by the Salvation Army Gateway of Hope to pick up the CNOY toques that were issued to walkers who raised more than $150 (adults 18 and above) or $75 (youth 17 and under).
READ ALSO: Langley shelter seeks participation from locals to raise money for the Coldest Night of the Year
The annual charity event is a family-friendly walk to raise money for organizations serving people experiencing “homelessness, hurt, and hunger.”
In Langley the event benefits the Salvation Army Gateway of Hope, which provides services such as an emergency shelter, 110,000 meals annually, along with transitional housing and family services.
As of Sunday, 133 walkers in 22 Langley teams had raised 95 per cent of the $30,000 goal, or $28,650. Donations were still being recorded.
The team Ruby belonged to had raised the most, $5,550, as of Sunday.
Members of the Langley Refuge Youth team, who had the second highest total, had beaten their target, raising $4,585, 153 per cent of their goal, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints team was third highest at $2,850.
The national campaign exceeded its $10 million dollar goal by 111 per cent – as of Sunday $11,111,351 had been raised.
It was a new all-time high for the campaign, following 2021’s first virtual event that raised just under $10 million despite the pandemic.
It was up substantially from the last pre-COVID in-person walk in 2020, which raised $6.25 million.
READ ALSO: Langley shelter busy as cold weather hits homeless
The very first CNOY in 2011 had a modest goal of raising $40,000 in Toronto and Kitchner/Waterloo and ended up beating it by raising $111,800.
Is there more to the story? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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