The Blue Sea Foundation’s Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) bills itself as a “winterrific” family-friendly 2 or 5 km fundraising walk supporting local charities that serve people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness. Since 2011, $75 million has been raised in 190 Canadian communities. 100 percent of net proceeds stay local to support CNOY charity partners.

In Prince Edward County, this means the Picton United Church Foodbank will net over $65,000 thanks to the first local CNOY event in history.

Picton United Church Foodbank Community Engagement Volunteer Mark Houghton reports that over 150 walkers, supported by over 700 donors, raised $65K. Hundreds of walkers, wearing their distinctive blue and yellow toques, moved along Main Street Saturday evening.

In total, three teams out of 26 raised over $10,000 each: the County Huggers (captained by Tara Wood), the Picton United Church Foodbank team (captained by Seona Halsey); and Mutual Hearts on the Move (captained by Taryn Bondy).

Best in Canada

“Nationally, Picton was the number one fundraiser when compared against other first year CNOY locations. That speaks to the ambition of our walkers and the compassion of our community,” Mr. Houghton told the Gazette.

Estimates indicate around 6,000 people are food insecure in Prince Edward County. In total, foodbank usage averages around 1,500 per month. Mr. Houghton figures about 4,500 local residents presumably go without meals from week-to-week or month-to-month.

“Numbers like these are not okay. But the 150 people that showed up today are willing to do something about it. They all stepped up, talked to their friends, family, colleagues, and raised some money,” Mr. Houghton told the Gazette. “This goes a long way, especially since we’re up 40 percent in the first two months of 2026. “

The Picton United Church Foodbank’s online fundraising portal will remain open until March 31 for those that still wish to support a walker or a team.