The Coldest Night of the Year has been running for the past five years, raising money for Yorkton Transitional Homes for Youth to help combat homelessness in the City of Yorkton. There is a new initiative, called the Coldest Day of the Year, which allows schools to get involved and raise money for the same cause. The Parkland College took part in the Coldest Day of the Year on March 11.
The school raised approximately $600 for the event, which will go to YTHY. Amanda Hall and Sianne Markusson were walkers at the event, which is in its first year at Parkland College.
鈥淢ore people, youth especially, couch surf and are ashamed to talk about their living situations and poverty. It needs to be more talked about,鈥� said Hall. She added that as a social work student, it鈥檚 something she sees regularly through her studies.
鈥淧eople Yorkton don鈥檛 realize how common it is, because they鈥檙e the hidden homeless normally. They鈥檙e couch surfing, they鈥檙e finding places to hide for the night, they鈥檒l go and sleep in their car instead of having a permanent home,鈥� said Markusson.
As the first Coldest Day of the Year, both Hall and Markusson said they hope that the event continues to grow and build in the college.
