Supplied: Canadian Mental Health Association Alberta Northwest

By Abby Zieverink

coldest night of the year

Local RCMP & firefighters to faceoff in Coldest Night of the Year Fundraiser

Feb 23, 2022 | 2:15 PM

A friendly competition between the Grande Prairie RCMP and the Grande Prairie Firefighters Charitable Foundation has been sparked as part of the Coldest Night of the Year Fundraiser.

The nationwide fundraiser takes place in over 150 cities across Canada. Grande Prairie will be hosting the event for the first time, which will take place at the Grande Prairie Golf and Country Club on Feb. 26 at 5 p.m.

Cst. Lindsay Ralph with the Grande Prairie RCMP says both they and the firefighters are having a friendly battle to help raise money for the Canadian Mental Health Association Alberta Northwest Region.

“One of the organizers of Coldest Night of the Year, which is being put on by the Canadian Mental Health Association (Alberta Northwest region), had approached the RCMP about participating in the event and then had come up with the idea of the competition between the RCMP and the firefighters,” she explained.

“Just a friendly kind of thing to do to see who can get the most people to come out walking on February 26 and to do some fundraising for it as well.”

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The event will see both a two and five-kilometre loop for participants to walk.

Ralph tells EverythingGP the Mounties are planning on walking the five-kilometre loop wearing their regular work gear.

“We are going to be in our regular working uniforms like when you see an RCMP officer out in the community, we will be dressed in full uniform, and I believe the firefighters will be as well.”

The firefighters will participate under their regular team name being the “Grande Prairie Firefighters Charitable Foundation” while the RCMP’s team name is “Mounties for Mental Health.”

“Our team name kind of says it all,” she said. “Mental Health is something that is very important to us and the event is a great way to bring awareness for a whole bunch of things, including mental health supports,” added Ralph.

She says they do not have any particular goal for how much funds they are hoping to fundraise, but mentions they will be happy with any amount they do get.

“Anything we do raise, we will be appreciative of, but as always people are very generous, and we have had quite a few donations provided to us (already).”

Both teams are also looking to see who can get the most people out to the event, walking to help support those experiencing hunger, homelessness, and hurt in the community.

Ralph encourages community members to come out on Saturday and participate in the event.

More details on the Coldest Night of the Year Fundraiser can be found here.