Competing on a clear but sunny day in Victoria, Penny Tennenhouse can’t wait to take part in next weekend’s Coldest Night of the Year charity walk.
“I think of it as a loving movement because we’re going and we’re coming together, and it’s so visible that the community is coming together to do something like that, so it’s very special,” says Penny.
Penny and the Avodah team she organized have raised more than $6,500 over the past five years for this year’s walk and a total of $25,000 for Our Place Society.
“It is not that hard!” says Penny. “You just ask and everyone gives a little and it adds up. Every time I see the numbers go up I jump up and down thinking I’m going to fly the night of the walk!”
The family-friendly walk, taking place February 25 in cities across Canada and the United States, raises money for local charities that help people experiencing hunger, pain and homelessness.
“The Coldest Night Walk is a wonderful opportunity for our community to come out, walk with us, and support those who are struggling with poverty and homelessness in our community,” says Steven Seltzer of Our Place. “We want people to experience the hardship that so many of our neighbors are going through, just for one evening.”
“In the world we live in today, you feel so helpless, and that way you feel a little bit like you can make a difference,” adds Penny. “And hopefully you make someone’s life feel a little bit better.”
Two walks are taking place in Greater Victoria – one in the city center and one on the West Coast in partnership with the Pacific Center Family Services Association.
Our Place hopes to raise more than $150,000 to fund its vital programs as the demand for help continues to grow.
“People feel like they’re on their own, like they don’t have solutions to the crises they face every night, there’s not enough shelter in the city,” says Steven. “All of us service providers are trying to do what we can, but there is such a shortage.”
So far, 70 teams and around 600 people have registered for the Greater Victoria Run – more than anywhere else in Canada – and more than $100,000 has already been raised.
For Penny, who believes in the importance of giving back, it’s a heart-warming night.
“We call it the coldest night of the year, which is kind of cute, but I think it’s the warmest night of the year,” says Penny. “No matter how cold it is, I’m going to feel damn good.”
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