Participants getting warmed up to march with a quick dance party at Metro's Coldest Night of the Year on Feb. 24, 2024.

(JESSE TOMAS / iNFOnews.ca)

Hundreds of people walked to raise money for Kelowna’s homeless yesterday at an annual fundraiser.

Metro Community’s ninth annual Coldest Night of the Year raised more than $155,000 for the group’s hygiene program and warming centre.

“It’s incredible there’s nearly a thousand people from all over the city,” Metro’s lead Joel Feddersen said. “The Metro hygiene program and warming center serve about 150 people a day. Breakfast, lunch, to-go dinner, showers, laundry, a warm space, case work, wound care, haircuts, you name it.”

The Coldest Night of the Year is a national fundraising march that was held by different organizations in communities across the country including Vernon, Kamloops, and Salmon Arm.

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The event kicked off with a few speeches and a quick dance party warm up.

Mayor Tom Dyas gave a speech thanking Metro and everyone who came out.

“As we are all aware homelessness is a complicated issue and it requires a community to work together and continually respond to the changing nature of homelessness,” Dyas said. “It shows the true spirit of Kelowna when individuals come out to raise funds for those individuals who need it most.”

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Participants walked either 2 or 5 km through downtown and then enjoyed a light meal together.

For those who didn’t make it to the event, Feddersen said there will be more opportunities to support people going through homelessness in Kelowna.

“There’s always next year. We live in a great city and it’s so much better when we all come together and support the people that don’t have the resources we do,” he said.

Find out more about Metro here.

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