Last Saturday, I was pleased to be joined by wife, Vicky, members of my staff and their families to participate in the Coldest Night of the Year walk in Pembroke.

Coldest Night of the Year began in 2011 at two locations and has continued to grow, to the point where 166 locations took part in 2022, with over 31,000 walkers. CNOY was instituted to give people a sense of what it would be like to experience homelessness on the coldest night of the year.

As in the past, the Pembroke walk was in support of the Grind, a non-profit organization that supports youth and adults who are marginalized and struggling to live a normal life. Some 256 walkers participated this year, raising over $105,000. I’ve seen first-hand the tremendous work that the Grind does locally and have been truly moved by the compassionate way in which they operate. It is a faith-based organization that accepts and supports all people, regardless of age, ethnicity, sexual preference or social status, providing non-judgmental support through their client services office and supporting agencies and programs.

Having had the opportunity to visit the Grind myself on multiple occasions has given me a much greater understanding and perspective of the breadth of services it provides to support those who are homeless, marginalized or at risk.

Once again, our team of walkers, known as the Yak Pak, were proud to support this wonderful cause. If you’re in the area, I would encourage be you to drop by the Grind yourself and see what wonderful things are taking place there.