Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke is not a weather man, but he has boldly declared that Saturday will be the Coldest Night of the Year.
The mayor made the official proclamation at a flag-raising ceremony earlier today in front of the Opera House.
Reading from an official proclamation, he invited people from Orillia and surrounding townships "to bundle up, sign up, and walk to raise funds for The Lighthouse Soup Kitchen" as part of the Coldest Night of the Year walk.
This event is meant to "draw attention to those experiencing homelessness and the issues they encounter" in the cold, winter conditions, said the mayor.
He urged people to participate in the 2.5-, 5- or 10-kilometre walks that will start this year at Twin Lakes Secondary School.
So far, 63 teams are registered for the Orillia event and 410 walkers have signed up. As of today, Orillia is ranked sixth out of 144 locations in Canada in funds raised.
The goal of this year's walk is to raise $140,000.
Last year, Orillia was number one across Canada with over 500 walkers, and fifth in actual dollars raised at over $130,000.
