Shantytown 2012 was much more than a night sleeping outdoors.
The event provided participants not only the chance to experience what a homeless person might do, but a chance to hear from someone who has been there.
Doug Calder, director of The Door youth centre in Centre Wellington , explained that Shantytown 2012 is a fundraiser for The Door.
“But, its main purpose is to bring an awareness of homelessness in Wellington County,” he added.
Calder noted Tim Huff, an internationally-recognized speaker, who had spent the past 20 plus years working with the issue of homelessness at a street level in Toronto, was scheduled to speak at the event.
Visitors and members of the community had a chance to take part in the barbecue, tour the ‘Shantytown’ and find out more information from local service agencies and people who help the homeless (or in poverty situations) in the community.
“Hopefully people can have a good meal and see what people are doing to help others in their community.”
Calder said this marked the fourth year for Shantytown.
He noted that the funds raised help with various projects The Door is involved with.
He said many of the trips are designed to give young people an awareness as to how they can serve the local community, the greater community and even the world.
“It is wonderful to bring together kids with some ‘at-risk’ behaviours and give them a bigger scope of the world and how they can be changing lives.”
He noted that three years ago, Shantytown became more of a public event with more church groups, people and others in the community involved.
Individuals are sponsored to sleep in a box overnight. He noted that Huff would also speak more informally to participants around a campfire that night about his personal experiences on the street.
In the morning, participants would walk from the Sportsplex to the Centre Wellington Food Bank for breakfast, and learn about what goes on there.
After walking back to the Sportsplex, participants would share what they had learned from the experience.
He anticipated about 30 participants – if everyone showed up.
Calder anticipated other members of the public would be attending the barbecue.
Participant Zack Robinson said he’d taken part in Shantytown for the past two years.
“The prior experience was fun.”
Kyle Bott noted that event organizer Karen Bast’s husband, James, used to be the youth pastor.
“We were invited out and had a lot of fun. It was raining and stuff but we had a good time. I wanted to come back.”
“It is a good experience – one day of being homeless.”
For more information about The Door youth centre located downtown Fergus (just below the Fountainhead) call 519-787-0925.
