By Ken Hirter
It was a sunny day that we gathered or the Welcome Inn Community Centre 5 K Fundraising Walk and BBQ.
The Walking Well Together 5K fundraiser was for much needed funds for Welcome Inn’s children’s programs, supports for seniors, food bank and services for recent immigrants. The entire course was walking throughout Hamilton’s North End.
Welcome Inn is a vibrant community centre in the North End of Hamilton that truly believes we can all live well together. Their mission states: We are a dynamic community centre that dares to imagine that there is a different and more vibrant path forward for ALL members of our community.
Together with the Community, Welcome Inn works to alleviate poverty, loneliness and marginalization – challenges that our community members face on a daily basis by offering supportive relationships, promoting wellness and providing capacity – building opportunities.
Living WELL Together and the Wellness Areas. For us it’s not about creating another program; it’s about empowering members of the community so that ALL might be well.
Welcome Inn Promotes wellness in eight key areas.
• Environmental • Occupational
• Emotional • Physical
• Financial • Social
• Intellectual • Spiritual
Jamie Vander Berg, Fund Development Officer opened the start of the Wellness Walk with a Community BBQ. Welcoming everyone who turned out for the fundraiser. He spoke about all the wonderful programs at Welcome Inn, indicating that all of these programs have grown 2-fold over the past few years. Welcome Inn has over 450 volunteers and a staff of 9. Next year they will be celebrating their 60th anniversary, serving the North End with community spirit since 1966.
The Walking Well Together 5k walk was an unbelievable success this year. The Welcome Inn wants to thank all of you. The Goal was to raise $10,000. After every donation was counted we raised over $40,070. Your contributions will support our much-needed programs. Our commitment to you, the donors and volunteers is to use these funds to support our various programs.
CHILDREN & YOUTH
• Learning & Fun – after school program
• Summer Day Camp
SENIORS
• Seniors Diner’s Club (Tuesday)
• Senior Support
• Community Visitation Program
FOODBANK
• 4 Days a week (except on Tuesdays)
• Supported over 38,000 people in 2024
COMMUNITY
• Peer to Peer supports
• Parenting Groups
• Settlement & ESL
• Tax Clinics
IMMIGRATION
• Offering support
• Offers Arabic and Spanish translators and accommodates other languages as well.
We want to take this opportunity to thank all who volunteered at the event. We could not run this event without the wonderful volunteers and a big thank you to our staff and event sponsors who helped make this such a wonderful day.
The Sponsors
Platinum:
Leander Boat Club
Sparky Mark
Sucro Canada
The O’Reilly Group
Gold :
Allen Cliff Harmony
James Street Cannabis Co.
Mulberry Wellness
Street City Cycle
Synonym
Silver:
Fisher’s Pier 4 Pub
The People
This year the Walking Well Together 5k walk had 9 teams from various businesses and groups – a total of 98 walkers. This was simply wonderful with a Community BBQ that drew over 150+ people who came out to celebrate community spirit at its very best at the Welcome Inn Community Centre.
Fun was had by all, from the Walk, BBQ with face painting and crafts for the kids.
I would like to thank Jamie Vander Berg, the staff, volunteers and the people who make a difference in the Community. It was a pleasure and joy to take part in this wonderful event.
The Mural Project at Welcome Inn was completed on Saturday October 11th. 2025. Artist Luis Casa is a professional Street Artist with the Welcome Inn Community Centre. A colorful and beautiful floral Mural on the grounds at Welcome Inn.
