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Saturday will be Coldest Night of the Year

Annual walk to support the Salvation Army Gateway of Hope takes place on Feb. 21
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Alisha Kuntz, right, and Ayrian Bennik, nine, gathered with more than 100 participants for last year’s Coldest Night of the Year walk. This year’s event happens on Saturday, Feb. 21.

Langley residents are gearing up to walk a mile in a homeless person’s shoes for the annual Coldest Night of the Year walk to benefit the Salvation Army Gateway of Hope on Saturday, Feb. 21.

Already more than $4,500 has been raised by 21 teams who have pledged to walk and raise money for the shelter that helps hundreds each year.

The goal is to raise $30,000 in Langley. Each community with a shelter is participating in the Coldest Night of the Year event.

Opening ceremonies are at 5 p.m. at the Gateway of Hope, with the 2.6 km walk to follow. Walkers can also participate in 5 km or 10 km walks, if they wish.

Between 6 and 8 p.m., a warm, light meal will be served to all walkers and volunteers.

“Your involvement in this walk impacts hundreds of lives in a positive way, helping build a bright future that once seemed out of reach,” says the Gateway of Hope on the pledge page of the Coldest Night of the Year website.

Gateway of Hope has partnered with Kintec Langley to have people donate slightly used or new shoes so they can give “to those that come to us with badly worn or no shoes at all. This is a big need for us,” said Troy Gaglardi of the Gateway of Hope.

People can bring shoes to the walk or donate any time to the shelter and be entered to win a Kintec gift certificate.

Last year, Gateway served 76,000 meals, while the emergency shelter assisted 700 men and women with warm beds and referrals to addiction treatment, medical services and critical supports. It also offers transitional housing and vocational training.

To learn more, go to coldestnightoftheyear.org



Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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