PARRY SOUND – Harvest Share wants Parry Sounders to take an hour this Saturday, and experience what it would be like to be homeless.
March 23 marks the fifth annual Out of the Cold Event to raise awareness for homelessness in the area and collect funds for the food bank.
The day begins at 9 a.m. with a pancake and sausage breakfast at the St. James United Church. The cost is $5 for adults and $2 for children.
“Canadore College culinary students are donating their time to prepare the breakfast for us,” said Harvest Share manager Gail MacDonald.
From noon until 1 p.m. volunteers will line Mary Street, gleaning insight into a homeless person’s life on the street by spending time in cardboard shelters. They will also be collecting donations to benefit Harvest Share’s programs.
“This year we’re not doing just boxes, we asked some of them come with just plastic tarp to wrap around themselves, because a lot of people don’t have boxes,” said MacDonald.
Finally, from 7 to 9 p.m., Harvest Share is hosting an “old-fashioned talent show”.
“We want it to be light too – entertaining and educational,” she said. “It’s not a contest, just an opportunity for people to showcase their talent. So far the line-up of talent participating is Jim Marshall, (Carling Township Mayor) Gord Harrison, Celine Cascanette, Terry Little, Devin Mark, and Terry Christenson.”
For more information on the Out of the Cold event, to donate, or to participate call 705-774-9111.