5 Year Old Colton Couch Leads All Fundraisers For Coldest Night Of The Year Walkathon Benefit
Raising almost $2,000 so far, Colton Couch, a senior kindergarten student from Georgetown, sits atop the scoreboard for Halton Hills' Coldest Night of the Year fund-raising walk (CNOY). After spending the last year collecting empty beer and liquor bottles with his dad, the five-year-old is clear about his motivation during a telephone interview: “To help people who don't have homes or houses to live in.”
The annual event is held in over 170 cities across Canada to support local charities working to combat homelessness, hunger and health concerns. This is the second year for the event in Halton Hills, and it is co-sponsored by Links2Care and the Georgetown Bread Basket. Participants are invited to collect pledges and to take part in 2 or 5 km walks held in Acton and Georgetown on Feb. 25 from 4-7 pm.
Colton got the idea to become involved last year when he saw people in yellow toques walking past his house, according to the boy's father Kevin Couch. “He went out to talk to the walkers and one lady explained what they were doing and that he could do it next year. I'm not sure who that lady was but she gave him her toque and inspired him to start doing this.”
Colton began collecting empties from baseball players and teams that his dad knew. As more people heard about his bottle drive, they would save their bottles and drop them off at his house. The father and son team were also invited to clean out sheds and garages where returnable bottles and cans had been deposited for years. One restaurant in Brampton also saved their bottles and cans for the duo.
According to Deirdre Hogan, marketing and communications specialist for Links2Care in Halton Hills, last year's walk was hugely successful. “We more than doubled the goal we set and raised over $50,000. Each community chooses a charity and the money is spent locally,” she said. “Also participants get to feel a little of what it's like to be outside in the cold in a Canadian winter.”
Hogan is expecting even better results this year. “We had 200 walkers last year and we've already got 110 signed for this year,” she said. “Most of the sign-ups come in the last week or two so I'm optimistic.”
At present, Colton Couch remains top fundraiser for Halton Hills with $1,915 pledged to date, far ahead of most teams and participants. He's already way past the $1,200 goal he set for himself. But the young man takes a pragmatic view about his role in the event. “It's good to help because if I don't help, people won't get the stuff they need,” he said.
To find out more about Coldest Night of The Year visit: www.cnoy.org/haltonhills
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