The YWCA’s annual walk-a-thon
Regina’s community is known for its ability to come together to support a cause, whether it be for events in need of volunteers, marathons, parades or even a walk-a- thon on the coldest night of the year. Organizations across the city give voice to different causes, one of which is the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), a nonprofit organization that focuses on women’s empowerment, leadership and the rights of women. They have a presence in more than 100 countries.
YWCA Regina hosted this Coldest Night of the Year on Saturday, Feb. 22.. The walk-a- thon for all age groups is meant to “raise awareness and funds for the community’s most vulnerable individuals,” according to the press release.
For deeper insight into the preparation leading up to the event, I spoke with Meghan Trenholm, manager of communication and digital marketing for YWCA Regina. “This is an annual walk to raise funds and awareness for homelessness … a walk that happens all across North America. This is our tenth year hosting it,” said Trenholm.
Trenholm knows what this cause means to the community: “We’ve seen homelessness rates increasing in the city… all the support we can get is so appreciated.”
People walk on the coldest night of the year to encourage empathy for those who are facing homelessness during the cold Canadian prairie winter. A similar initiative is 5 Days for the Homeless, undertaken by the students’ society of the Hill and Levene Schools of Business at the University of Regina, which raises awareness and funds for local charities like Carmichael Outreach.
The YWCA began preparations for the walk-a-thon in the fall of 2024 after they finalized the event date and kickstarted their initial marketing and promotion. Trenholm mentioned that “once we [received] information from the larger organization that runs Coldest Night of the Year, then we started to put it into practice in our context in Regina.”
Some of the well-known larger organizations that run the Coldest Night of the Year include the Blue Sea Foundation, according to Trenholm. The large scale of the event meant management was busy with many tasks, including “preparing, getting volunteers ready, as well as working with different groups and organizations and sponsors.”
YWCA’s overall goal for fundraising this year was $100,000. They had reached 40 per cent of their goal as of 12:58 p.m. on Feb. 12. However, their real success was defined by the number of people who showed up and supported this event that serves the community.
“It’s a really nice time and the work is so important,” said Trenholm. “There are so many women that are homeless or have insecure housing that are never counted . “ … We are able to support so, so many women and families that … it’s really heartwarming to see the community come together and just be so excited to do something so great for women and children [when they’re] at their most vulnerable.”
Community sponsors who stepped up to help included St. Paul’s Cathedral, Avenue Living, Home Depot, Wellnessnews, Forster Harvard Development Corp., Rawlco Radio and Conexus Credit Union . After all, change begins at home.
