This article has been updated.
On Oct. 28, ECU – a division of WFCU Credit Union will be hosting Trick-Or-Trot 2023 to raise funds for Food4Kids Waterloo Region.
The event will consist of a Halloween-themed 5-kilometer run, a 5-kilometer walk, and a 1 kilometer or 250-meter Kids Dash.
Participants are encouraged to dress in their favourite costume for a chance to win the Halloween costume contest being held.
However, wearing a costume is not mandatory to participate.
There will be activities, awards and music before and after the race.
This event is full of Halloween fun for all ages, and it is a great way to give back to the community.
ECU is a division of WFCU Credit Union, which has 14 retail locations across southwestern Ontario, including Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.
“We sponsor various events around the community,” said Beth Ann Prince, the Community Investment Manager of WFCU when discussing WFCU’s involvement in the Waterloo Region.
“WFCU has a program called Inspire. Under Inspire we do events that educate, engage, and inspire the community.”
The Trick-or-Trot event is part of this impactful program, which aims to help the community grow and improve together.
Foods4Kids is an organization in the Waterloo Region that creates strategic long-term plans which work towards solving the issue of children’s hunger in the Waterloo Region.
WFCU is working in collaboration with Run Waterloo to put on Trick-or-Trot 2023 on behalf of Foods4Kids.
Run Waterloo’s mission is the following:
“To offer fun, safe and healthy events for runners, joggers, walkers and families of all ages and abilities, while promoting community responsibility to local charitable and non-profit organizations and their causes.”
This event is a team effort and the organizations behind it are hoping for the community to be a part of that team.
“It’s great to be working with the organization Run Waterloo, they’ve been a great help as we’re just getting into the community.” Prince said.
“It’s a great partnership with Food4Kids as well. We’re very excited to work with a great organization in the community.”
People all over the city of Waterloo are encouraged to come out to the event and contribute to their community.
The event will be held at Laurel Creek Trail and the meeting place is 445 Wes Graham Way in Waterloo.
“Food4Kids is going to help out. They’ll be taking food donations as well, so we will be encouraging our participants to bring a food donation” Prince said.
While this is the first year that Trick-or-Trot will be taking place, but WFCU is incredibly optimistic for its future.
“This is the inaugural one.” Prince stated.
“I think in [the] future, we’ll just grow and grow every year.”
“It’s under our Inspire program,” Prince said referring to Trick-or-Trot 2023: “We ensure that anything under our Inspire program has events that the community can enjoy.”
When discussing WFCU’s inspiration to put on the event, Prince continued,
“A credit union has everything that the banks have, we’ve got mortgages, we’ve got GIC’s, credit cards, but what the difference is between a credit union and the banks is that our profits don’t go back into our shareholders. Instead, our profits go back into the community.
“So, it’s because of our members and their trust in us that we’re able to give back to the community and provide different activities and investments to make it a better place.”
Interested individuals can register online on RunWaterloo’s website to support the Waterloo Region community.