Close to $5000 was raised to help the homeless and victims of domestic violence when hardy Chatswood business and community leaders gave up their warm beds to sleep on concrete on the cold night late August.
Chatswood Chamber of Commerce’s 2nd Winter Sleepout saw Mayor of Willoughby Gail Giles-Gidney huddle down for the night with an array of local business leaders inside Storage King in Chatswood. Money raised will go to the Salvation Army and Streetwork, a charity that cares for homeless youth.
Ms Giles-Gidney, joined by husband Jon (vice chairman of JP Morgan), enjoyed a night of comaraderie for a good cause with Neil Mason and David An from Storage King, dentist James Mumme, periodontist Martin Cherry, Colin Downs from NEM Business Performance, Joyce Lewis from Joyce Lewis Real Estate, chamber board members Amanda Choy and Steve Hui and Daniel Mannino from Terrazza restaurant - who bought pizzas to feed the hungry charity supporters.
A team of supporters also came from Connect Hearing in St Ives and Brookvale, as well as Streetwork’s Tim Sheerman and Lucy Dahill and Randall and Glenda Brown and Vicki McKenzie from the Salvation Army.
Chamber President Stig Falster was buoyed by the enthusiasm of all of those who took part.
“Homelessness is a big problem on the North Shore, only we don’t always see it - with many sleeping under bridges, or, in the case of young people, couch-surfing,” he explained.
“Apart from helping a good cause and reflecting on the hidden plight of homelessness on the North Shore, the Sleepout was a good chance to connect with other business people and build up invaluable camaraderie.
“Early indications are that we will have raised somewhere between $4,000 and 5,000, all of which will be used to assist victims of domestic violence and homeless youth on the North Shore.
“There are generous people on the North Shore and among Chamber members, but there are a lot of charitable causes competing for attention.”
Mr Falster thanked Chatswood police for visiting the site throughout the night and for donating to the cause.
THE SLEEPERS
- Gail Giles-Gidney, Mayor of Willoughby
- John Gidney JP Morgan
- Stig Falster Interock
- Hilary Feldman Connect Hearing
- Rosanna Devenish-Meares Connect Hearing
- Pauline Pegg Connect Hearing
- Lucy Dahill Streetwork
- Steve Hui I Fly Flat
- Anna Hui I Fly Flat
- Daniele Mannino Terazza restaurant
- Amanda Choy Sustainbiz
- Ami Marsh Salvation Army
- Vicki McKenzie Salvation Army
- Glenda Brown Salvation Army
- Randall Brown Salvation Army
- Lynne Halley
- James Mumme
- Tim Sherman Streetwork
- Michael Thomas Willoughby Uniting Church
- Faye Sinclair
- Nicole Matheson
- Joyce Lewis Joyce Lewis Real Estate
- Martin Cherry
- Colin Downes NEM
- Julie Burgess Chatswood Chamber
The Chamber thanked to coffee supplier Sibonis Pymble and to Orora Fibre Packaging for providing sheets for bedding.
