Cardboard Village Wrap-Up 2017
- Nov 9, 2017
- 2 min read
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (November 9, 2017, 12 p.m.) - The Student Non-Profit Alliance and Secondary Education and Foundations of Education Club wrapped up its annual Cardboard Village event Thursday, November 9, 2017 at 12:00 p.m.
After braving the weather through a cold November night, six organizations were treated to an afternoon reflection from executive board members of their respective clubs Nicole Weigle and Taylor Nietsch. They both spoke on how the struggles of sleeping the Quad overnight can't even begin to compare to the struggles of actually being homeless, but that the event was important because it simulated the situation of many people in Butler County.
Nicole Weigle of the Student Non-Profit Alliance speaks on what Cardboard Village was all about
The two then offered up statistics and other relevant information about the problem of homelessness in Butler County. For example, did you know that almost 40 percent of Slippery Rock Borough families live under the poverty line? Or how about that Butler County doesn’t offer a homeless shelter aside from a winter warming hut that is privately run? It’s shocking to say the least and raises questions about how we as citizens of the community should help out the cause.
Some of the cardboard structures that the organizations involved built and stayed in overnight
As it relates to the overnight event, six organizations that ranged from Greek life to SEFE Club all stayed the night in cardboard structure that each group built themselves. Each structure was manned through the night, with temperatures dropping into the mid-to-low twenties. The weather could not have been any more of a help in simulating the struggles of those without proper shelter in the Winter.
Students huddle around the still smoldering burn barrels in the quad.
Many of the students involved huddled by burn barrels throughout the night to warm themselves up, as many so called “squatter communities” would during the coldest months of the year. The SNA also provided a replication of a soup kitchen, offering soup and bread to try to warm up and show the participants other viewpoints of a homeless person.
Taylor Nietsch speaks on IZE on Homelessness Week and some of the other upcoming events.
This event was just part of the overarching IZE on Homelessness Week that is taking place from Monday, November 6 to Friday, November 10, 2017. Other events include the Peanut Butter & Jelly Caper on Friday, November 10, 2017 as well as the Hunger Banquet on Monday, November 13, 2017.
For more info on IZE on Homelessness Week, click this link to go to an OrgSync page for the SNA.
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