It wasn’t quite the finish they’d hoped for, but organizers are still happy with the outcome.
The Cloverdale Community Kitchen (CCK) raised more than $232,000 during its Coldest Night of the Year fundraising event Feb. 24—the second most for any location in Canada.
Donations from Cloverdalians and people from surrounding communities in 2024 didn’t quite rise above last year’s high water mark of $274,000, but it was still a great total, noted Jen Temple, a board member for CCK, as the Kitchen achieved 82 per cent of its $280,000 fundraising goal.
“The night was amazing,” added Temple. “We were so overwhelmed by all of the support.”
Temple said last year, more people had pre-registered to walk and, but didn’t show up for whatever reason—some were sick, the weather was bad. This year, however, she said there were more supporters walking in person than last year. (There were 587 walkers this year—707 registered last year—participating on 77 teams.)
“We had so many people,” she said. “We had Lord Tweedsmuir’s entire basketball team that just won the RCMP Basketball Classic not long ago. The whole team showed up to help the route marshalls. It was just spectacular. It was such a great turnout. We had a local artist, Richard Tichelman, he sang everybody out before we went walking. It was simply amazing. I was blown away by the numbers.”
Temple said it was a big family event too, with “so many little ones” present along with teens, parents and elderly family members, noting the event was a reflection of the wider community. She also said many representatives from different levels of government also came out to show their support.
“It was a fantastic night,” Temple said. “Cloverdale showed up big, as usual. It never ceases to amaze me how gracious and generous people are in our community and how much everyone wants to make a difference.”
Walter van Halst—a teacher at Lord Tweedsmuir and a community volunteer, who also recently won a Clovie Award—was one of the nearly 600 people perambulating through the streets Feb. 24. He said he was just happy to be able to help contribute.
“It was a great turnout for a great cause,” van Halst added. “Helping people who are hungry or homeless is something anyone can support. It was a great response from every walk of life in Cloverdale, as it should be.”
The top three money-raising teams for the Clovy CNOY event were: Linda Wing’s 33-member “Hopeful Wanderers” with $23,630, Jen Temple’s four-member “Hillcrest Village Shopping Centre” team with $21,650, and Lynne Kirk’s five member “Our hearts were made for helping!” team with $16,300.
Canada-wide, all locations broke the overall goal of $13 million, raising $1.1 million more than last year, with all participants together raising just under $13.5 million.
The in-person Cloverdale walk began and ended at the Community Kitchen. Walkers were able to register, turn in results of their fundraising efforts, and return at the end of the evening to celebrate their achievements.
Participants walked either a two kilometre or five kilometre route. There were also rest stops set up throughout the town where fundraisers could warm up with hot drinks.
Temple said throughout the streets, the walkers, rollers, strollers, and ramblers were in high spirits and everyone was smiling and in great moods on their winding treks through town.
“Everyone was having a good time.”
Programs at the Community Kitchen have grown steadily over the past few years. With the onset of the COVID pandemic and now with the addition of continuously high inflation, the need has stretched even further. As such, the Kitchen is reaching more people with their unique programs, their food bank services, and their mobile meals program.
As of publication time, supporters in Cloverdale had raised $232,279 of their $280,000 fundraising goal. Cloverdale’s Coldest Night raised the second highest amount of money in Canada, with White Rock/South Surrey coming in first with $271,874 raised.
This is the Community Kitchen’s 11th year taking part in Coldest Night. The Kitchen has been serving the Cloverdale area for more than 10 years and the funds raised will benefit those in need in Cloverdale, Langley, White Rock, and Surrey.
The Cloverdale Community Kitchen has been serving Cloverdale for more than 10 years. They are located at 5337 180th Street.
For more info on Coldest Night or the Kitchen, visit mycck.ca.