Feb 23: AYUDH & the Coldest Night of the Year
March 6, 2019 — Toronto, Canada
AYUDH share their warmth on the Coldest Night of the Year
On Saturday, February 23, five AYUDH Toronto members participated in the Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) walkathon, to raise funds for charities that serve people who are hungry, hurting, or homeless in their communities. Four members participated in the CNOY walkathon in Georgetown, raising money for the Georgetown Bread Basket (GBB), while one member joined the walk raising money for Eden Food for Change in Mississauga. About two days before the walk, AYUDH members realized that if they wanted to register their Georgetown team as a group, they needed to raise a minimum of $150 to participate in the walk. An online fundraising page was created, calls for donations went out on social media, and by Amma’s grace, AYUDH Toronto raised $428 just 17 hours before the walk! Donations continued to pour in to the fundraising page after the event was over. In the end, AYUDH Toronto raised $485 for the GBB in less than 24 hours!
The CNOY walkathons in Georgetown and Mississauga were both very successful, attracting at least 100 walkers each. The Georgetown Bread Basket CNOY event raised $18,531, while Eden Food for Change raised $36,369. (Across Canada, CNOY events raised over $5 million dollars for 133 different charities).
AYUDH members said they felt energized while walking through the streets in the evening. It was a fun and positive way to connect with others in the community. Walking out in cold made many AYUDH members realize how grateful they are to have a roof over their heads, and a warm space with all the amenities to fulfill their needs. The AYUDH member walking in Mississauga really enjoyed the event because the people were so warm, friendly and caring. He said that it reminded him of the Toronto Satsang. He was also reminded of the importance of helping others because, not only are we doing something good for them, but we are also receiving good karma in return for our actions. One participant in Georgetown mentioned that he felt Amma was walking together with them. His wish was that more AYUDH members can join CNOY next year in different locations, so that we can spread Amma's Love.
AYUDH Toronto wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to all Toronto satsang members. AYUDH would not have been able to exceed their CNOY fundraising goal so quickly without their contributions, support and encouragement. The outpour of love and selflessness as demonstrated by the generous donations was amazing and very inspiring for AYUDH.