A sea of yellow toques could be seen walking Cochrane's pathways Saturday, Feb. 26.
About 200 people gathered at Riverfront Park in the early evening to begin the walk for Coldest Night of the Year, a national event that raises money for local charities to support and raise awareness for the hungry, hurt and homeless in their communities.
In their second year hosting the event locally, the Helping Hands Society of Cochrane and Area raised $42,050 thanks to community donations.
"We don't always see these vulnerable populations in our community," said executive director Chairra Nicolle. "But that doesn't mean they don't exist.
"What this looks like in our community is people couch-surfing, trying to find a place to land; people living in the same dwelling struggling to make rent, or people living in storage units or their cars."
It's also demonstrated in those living on the verge of homelessness, where they must decide whether to pay their rent or buy their groceries each month, she said.
Helping Hands is a non-profit that offers food security support through community perishable and non-perishable donations made to the Free Food Shed at St. Andrew's United Church. It also has a Movers with Heart and Volunteer Driver program which they offer at a nominal fee if anything.
"If someone is in a position where they're being evicted or they're forced to downsize, our volunteers can help with that move so that they can secure a safe home they can afford," said Nicolle. "If they can't make it to medical appointments because they don't have a vehicle or friends support, they don't have to pay for a taxi to get to those medical appointments — we can support them."
For this year's event, the non-profit's goal was to raise $50,000, which in addition to supporting its food security programs, will be used to help pay for a new moving van, winter tires, and other related expenses like maintenance and gas.
A second Free Food Shed set up at the Bow Valley Baptist Church is also set to open in the coming weeks.
Nicolle said they see about six to eight visitors every hour at the St. Andrew's shed, which is open 24-7.
"When we do talk to people at the shed, they're saying things like, 'I didn't know how I was going to feed my kids today, or my bills, or my rent — I'm just barely getting by and this is going to help us just get one step further.'"
Helping Hands has also been known to help with shovelling sidewalks and keeping yards.
"The mission is to link people who help with people who need help," said the non-profit's founder Terrance Haxton in a speech to walkers on Saturday. "And I am so encouraged at the successes that our organization has achieved over the years and the lives that we have touched.
"Thank you for working with us to be good neighbours, build community and [helping] to make a difference in the lives of people in Cochrane and Western Rocky View County."
Last year, the event raised $46,000 and was attended by about 160 people, including a group of about 25 students from Cochrane High that raised $3,000.
While it was hardly the coldest night of the year at a balmy 0 C, Nicolle feels this year's walk still captured the heart of Cochrane.
"I got a little emotional doing the speech up on the hillside with all of the yellow toques that were out to support the work that we do to support the vulnerable population in our community," she said. "It just goes to show that's what Cochrane is all about — giving back, supporting each other and being part of a community together."
The five-kilometre route ended at the Cochrane Ranche, where walkers could sip coffee and indulge in a warm bowl of chili.
Those who still wish to make a donation to Helping Hands through the event can do so at cnoy.org/cochrane until March 31.
*CORRECTION* This story was originally published with the incorrect name of the Helping Hands Society of Cochrane and Area founder Terrance Haxton (updated 3/4/2021 at 10:20 a.m.)
