February 26, 2022

‘COLD COMFORT …’ AS CNOY CASH JUST KEEPS ON TEAMING IN THANKS TO GENEROUS WALKERS

GRAVENHURST — The wildly popular GAP has done it again.

Hundreds walked the walks here this afternoon to help raise more than $170,000 in pledges by mid-afternoon, according to their growing website count. A record haul for its fourth year that more than doubled last year’s also record total.

Call it “Cold … comfort.”

And while Gravenhurst Against Poverty was recently unfortunately outbid for the Ing Building they had hoped to turn in to a new downtown home and wellness centre, the money will still help with their “the Hs” — the “hurt, hungry and homeless.”

Horns honked up and down Bay Street, starting at 2 p.m., as the waves of Coldest Night of the Year walkers trudged up street from the Lions Pavilion to Greavette Street, where they chose between the 2K northerly route up Brown Street to Sawdust City, or following the 5K signs that headed them to Mr. Sub at the south end of town.

Luckily it was all down hill back to the pavilion for a hot drinks and hot food celebration.

Wearing this year’s distinctive yellow toques — mixed with the blue ones many still had from last year — they could have been confused for supporters of the Ukraine.

The festive outdoor mood resembled other charitable fundraising days gone by when Rotarians for years ran snow-a-ramas at the Gravenhurst Bay decades before the Muskoka Wharf.

It was a team effort in more ways than one in addition to the dozens of volunteers who fanned out around town.

As 88 teams of shinny players scrabbled on nearby ice in the On The Pond hockey tournament, 75 CNOY bundled-up teams of fundraisers donned snow suits, ski poles and hiking boots with sure-footed snow cleats to spread out across town for a good cause.

There were young and old and dogs in tow.

Two parents pushed their toddler up the hill in a cool sleigh that was more fun going downhill after.

Contributions are still welcome through the GAP.