Dressed as Santa Claus, elves and in some cases Mrs. Claus, hundreds of people participated in the day's Santa Shuffle Fun Run and Elf Walk.

The annual event raises money for the 28-bed Cedar Place women and family shelter, which The Salvation Army operates.

While last year’s event raised approximately $20,000, Cedar Place executive director Barbara Ridley told Sudbury.com this year’s event was on track to raise more than $30,000.

In spite of the cold, there were plenty of smiles during Saturday’s event, during which participants of all ages and abilities got together to share in some pre-Christmas holiday spirit.

Dressed as an elf alongside her granddaughter, Avery, Sandra Hayden said the event has become an annual tradition for her family.

Her hope is that the Hayden family’s younger members will learn the importance of charity, and she said Cedar Place is a worthy beneficiary.

Cedar Place has been busy in recent months.

During a community and emergency services committee meeting of city council last month, Ridley shared that the centre has been at or slightly above capacity so far this year.

Although the number of people they help has gone down (110 in Oct. 2024 compared to 166 in Oct. 2023 and a peak of 287 in Oct. 2018), the length of stays has grown.

In Sept. 2024, the average length of stay was 73.8 days, up from last year’s 53 and the 16.44 recorded in 2018.

They’ve reached a point where they’re turning people away, including 310 people in September alone (compared to 162 in September 2023).

“We just don't have the options,” she told city council members at the time. “The phone rings nonstop looking for a bed. … It is a party time when we find a place for someone to live.”

Although last month’s meeting saw Ridley plant the idea of looking for a new building to house Cedar Place, she told Sudbury.com on Saturday that it’s still just an idea.

With three flights of stairs for elderly clients and children to navigate, she said it’s not the best building to house their services, but they’re grateful for it.

“It’s a place for someone to rest while they’re looking for a place,” she said. “We’d love to have a new building. I don’t know that it will happen, but we’re certainly keeping our eyes open, our ears open.”

Funds raised during this weekend’s Santa Shuffle Fun Run and Elf Walk will go toward extras for the people who spend nights at Cedar Place.

“We use it to help women find something extra. Sometimes it’s clothes, sometimes it’s boots or a bus trip; whatever they need.”

Funds also go toward helping men who have custody of children who stay in hotels.

For more information on the Santa Shuffle Fun Run and Elf Walk, including how to donate to the local Salvation Army Cedar Place centre, click here.

Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.