A popular expression says that until you walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, you shouldn’t condemn or judge them.
To put those words into action, a group of Yellowknife students, teachers and supporters decided to don their warm clothes and footwear on one of the coldest days of winter to raise funds and awareness about what homeless people endure trying to survive outside in the harsh elements.
The Interact Club from Ecole St. Patrick High School organized an Eeze-the-Freeze walk Saturday as a way to bring attention to the issues Yellowknife’s homeless population faces.
The club is a student-run part of the Rotary Club that does outreach in the community.
Asfa Arshad, one of the students at the event, said the group wanted to raise awareness about homelessness.
“We are doing a four-kilometer walk from Home Base and we are trying to raise awareness about the homeless situation here and how hard it is for people to live outside during this weather,” Arshad said.
While the Interact Club has long been part of the Coldest Night of the Year event, Arshad said the organization that always held that walk was unable to, so the club then planned the Eeze-the-Freeze Walk. This is the second year for the event.
Supporting community
Jacqueline Stanbridge, a teacher at St. Pat’s, said almost 15 people participated in the walk and all the funds raised will be donated to the homeless shelter and the youth centre.
“I think it’s really nice because it’s keeping it within the community that supports our students, and the community at large,” Stanbridge said.
Another of the students participating in the walk, Jacee Mariano, said this is the second time he has been involved, adding that Saturday’s walk was much colder than last year’s.
“I think we will spread awareness more when it is colder,” Mariano said.
Having just immigrated from the Philippines last year, Mariano said when he first arrived in Yellowknife, he was “shocked” to see the high rate of homelessness. He said their Interact Club helps raise funds in other projects also, including during Christmastime for the Salvation Army.
Arshad said homelessness in Yellowknife has been an issue for quite a long time.
“And it’s a pretty difficult problem to fix, but with the right amount of people who know about it and can see how the situation may actually be, then we might be a step closer to fixing this situation.”
—By Jill Westerman