FREEPORT — The sidewalks were icy and the wind was cold, but that didn’t stop a dozen people gathered in the parking lot at town hall Wednesday afternoon from venturing out on a walk down Main Street with microphones and a portable speaker.

They were intent on spreading a little hope on New Year’s Eve. At their first stop a block away, they paused to broadcast the things they want to see in 2026 — more community gatherings, secure and safe housing for everyone, and neighbors caring for each other.

“New Year’s Eve is a good time to try and stir up a little hope,” said Mair Honan, a leader of the walk, which was organized by the progressive group Greater Freeport Indivisible.

“This is a time to think about things, supposedly,” said Honan, 78. “So it seems like an apropos time to think about: What do we hope for this county? What would we like? What are our dreams for it?”

For many people, the last year was a difficult one politically, with “democratic backsliding and a rise in authoritarianism,” said Anna Brown, another Freeport resident and leader of the walk.

“Our country is facing a lot of fear,” said Brown, 46. “There’s a lot of hateful rhetoric about immigrants and dismantling of environmental regulations — just a lot of destruction. For me, this is a recognition that in order to create something new, there has to be vision and imagination. It’s an opportunity to put forward different ideas for what’s possible.”

The dozen residents and one dog who set off on the walk from Freeport Town Hall were joined by others along the way, and they invited passersby on the street to share their hopes. While the focus was intended to be on the future of America, some hopes were more personal. One woman said she was hopeful she would visit her children in Colorado.

Kathleen Sullivan, of Freeport, said she was inspired by Wednesday’s walk because it brought her together with her neighbors. Sullivan, 80, said she has been disheartened by some of the political events of 2025.

“All of the cutbacks to food stamps and health care and the threat to immigrants, it’s just heartbreaking and it’s not what I consider America,” she said. “But to be able to come together with people I’ve known here who have been doing work on many different projects to make this a better place for all of us to live, it’s an honor.”

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“I do think change will happen somehow,” Sullivan said.

John Albright, 74, said he is hoping for greater tolerance of different viewpoints in the new year. “I think we’re already beginning to see it,” he said.

He said small things like the walk can make a difference in bringing people together and setting a positive tone. “These little events are happening everywhere, and there’s an incredible amount of energy around it,” he said.

Paul Carignan, of Pownal, who spotted the group on the street and decided to join them, said he’s participated in political protests in the past, but hasn’t had the time lately. He was happy to see the walkers go by Wednesday.

When he was handed the microphone, Carignan said he hopes to see progress made on homelessness and other issues.

“There’s so much we have in this world, even in our little state, that people shouldn’t be going without like they are,” said Carignan, 59.

“I’m probably just as scared right now as I was coming into 2025,” he said. “Maybe a little more hopeful. I think things could change a little bit.”