Homelessness is a problem that can go unnoticed, but local students brought the issue into the spotlight Thursday.
A number of Orillia and area schools took part in the inaugural Coldest Day of the Year walk to raise awareness and money for the Lighthouse shelter and the campaign to build a new shelter.
“There’s a lot of homeless people in Orillia who have had to be out in the cold recently,” said Drew Hook, a Grade 11 student at Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School.
Hook, who was serving as a crossing guard for her fellow students taking part in the walk, said it was important to support the cause, especially because the new shelter will have beds for youth.
“In our school community, there are people who are going through this and you may not even know it,” she said.
Patrick Fogarty students, including Tanner Young, spent their second period walking along Peter and West streets, carrying signs to draw attention to homelessness.
“People that are homeless don’t have the resources to pay for things,” Young said. “If we can raise awareness and money, it really helps a lot.”
Staff, too, realized the importance of visibility.
“Originally, we were going to just walk around the track (at the school), but we thought, ‘The whole point is to raise awareness,’” said teacher Tina Osburn.
Patrick Fogarty students raised $480 for the cause. The money was collected through donations and the purchase of hot chocolate and cookies donated by the school. Patrick Fogarty will also have a buy-out Friday during fourth period, when students can pay to get out of class and watch the junior boys championship basketball game. Proceeds from the buy-out will also go toward Coldest Day of the Year, as well as the school’s basketball program.
Other local schools that held Coldest Day of the Year walks were Harriett Todd Public School, Regent Park Public School, Uptergrove Public School, Twin Lakes Secondary School and Orillia Secondary School.
Orillia was one of two municipalities in Canada chosen to host the walks as part of a pilot project. The event was affiliated with Coldest Night of the Year, which will take place Saturday.
