This year's COTS Walk starts at Battery Park in Burlington and follows the route a homeless person might take in a day for shelter and services in Burlington. It's the one day of the year that shelters are open for visitors so people can see where their donations are put to work. It's a chance to see how our community provides for families and others who are without homes.
There is still time to sign up and create a Team. The top School fundraising team earns a Leonardo's pizza party. The top Faith fundraising team earns an ice cream party provided by Lake Champlain Chocolates. The top Corporate fundraising team earns a social hour at Switchback!
The theme this year is "sing a song of home." As Ella Fitzgerald said, "Music is the universal language... it brings people closer together." Music transcends barriers, helping connect humankind. Connection and community bring us closer to ending homelessness in Vermont. This theme will resonate (see what I did there) throughout the Walk.
The COTS Walk is a critical annual fundraiser — over half of their budget comes from private donations generated through events and regular giving. Our COTS Walk goal is to raise $210,000 through peer-to-peer fundraising and we are over half way there!
The walk is a powerful learning opportunity. This family-friendly event guides Walkers along a 3.6-mile route that a person experiencing homelessness might take to access COTS services. Enjoy ice cream, music, snacks, activities- like creating a giant wind chime, art installations, and other educational activities along the way.
To register as a team or as individual, please visit our website http://give.cotsonline.org/COTSWalk2023