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Salmon Arm’s Coldest Night of the Year walk supports food security in community

Walks around the city raise funds and awareness for local food programs
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From left to right, Serena Caner, SFAS executive director, Melanie Bennett, SFAS project coordinator, Barry Delaney, president and CEO of SASCU, Dave Wallace, Askew’s operations manager and Erin Stagg, SASCU community lead. Askew’s and SASCU co-sponsor the Coldest Night of the Year in 2023 again, supporting local food programs and hungry and unhoused people in the Shuswap. (Contributed)

Shuswap Food Action Society (SFAS) invites people to the Coldest Night of the Year walk to support those who are hungry and unhoused in Shuswap communities.

On Saturday, Feb. 25, the walk party begins at 4 p.m. at SASCU’s downtown location. Guided walking tours, either two or five kilometres long, begin at 5 p.m. and travel through Salmon Arm. The walks end at the downtown Askew’s on the patio, where soup and hot beverages will be served. The event is family-friendly and anyone that wants to support the cause is welcome.

SFAS’ mission is to build community around local food in the area, and the organization believes food is a bridge to connect Shuswap families, friends and neighbours communities, reads a media release.

As a registered charity, SFAS aims to support local food systems and raise awareness about food security. Other projects include the Shuswap Community Teaching Garden, the Downtown Salmon Arm Farmer’s Market, food boxes in neighbourhoods to support families that experience food insecurity, school meal programs, CKVS radio programming and The Lighthouse Community Food Forest.

Funds raised at the Coldest Night of the Year and through other initiatives support projects aimed at decreasing the barriers people face when trying to access and prepare healthy foods grown and produced in the community.

The Coldest Night of the Year is co-sponsored by Askew’s Foods and SASCU again this year.

“We intend to continue this support (of SFAS) to help ensure the growth and development of the local food supply to the benefit of all residents of this region,” said David Askew in the release.

“Each year we have a team, along with their family and friends, participate in the annual, Coldest Night of the Year event. We look forward to joining again this year and are proud to be co-lead sponsors with our neighbours at Askew’s,” Barry Delaney, SASCU president and CEO, said in the media release.

READ MORE: Warm-hearted Salmon Arm walkers unite for Coldest Night of the Year

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Rebecca Willson

About the Author: Rebecca Willson

I took my first step into the journalism industry in November 2022 when I moved to Salmon Arm to work for the Observer and Eagle Valley News. I graduated with a journalism degree in December 2021 from MacEwan University in Edmonton.
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