Irene McMillan along with four of her friends sit in a local coffee shop excitedly talking about spending a night sleeping outdoors.
Anyone listening would have thought they were planning a camping trip.
Instead, these five women, three of whom are over the age of 70, will be spending Friday night, regardless of the weather, sleeping in a cardboard shelter which they will build themselves, at the parking lot at Northgate Shopping Centre.
They call themselves the Golden Grannies and they have teamed up to raise money for the Homeless Night Challenge, a fundraiser for Hope Awaits Ministries.
The fundraising challenge is designed to raise awareness for men’s homelessness in North Bay and area and the barriers they face.
Money raised will help offset the operational cost for Hope Awaits Men’s Homeless Shelter and Life Skills Programs.
McMillan who turns 87 this fall, managed to raise $1,700 all on her own.
“I’m so excited to be doing this,” McMillan said with a big smile.
“I told my little great-grandkids all about it, and they offered to give two dollars each. It was so sweet of them. So, it makes them realize that they’ve got a home, and food and clothing, but other people don’t. And I hope when they look at people on the street that they will have a heart for them,” said McMillan.
"I'm so thankful for everything I have. When I see people who don't have as much as we all do, I think why can't we all learn to share?"
The great grandmother didn’t have any problem convincing the other women to form a team.
“I thought, she’s 87 and I’m only 77 so how do you say no?” laughed Betty-Jane Tayler who has raised close to $1,000.
“I’m hoping that we will be able to keep the men’s shelter open, and hopefully if things go well, there will be other events so we can add beds. I think it is a very worthy cause. When I was raising money I talked to a woman who went to the bank one night and found a homeless man asleep in front of a banking machine. She told me she didn’t realize that there are people who don’t have a place of their own.”
Elaine Riesen saw the challenge as a way to give back to the community.
“Maybe it will be a little reality check for people, that is not so easy to live out on the street. I have a lot of friends who are experiencing this. My husband was a psychiatric nurse and we worked with people who have mental issues, so we know where they’re coming from. It is a pretty bad life when you’re out on the street and there is nobody there to help you.”
Team member Alysha Martin says she is proud of these women who are willing to help make life a little better for others.
“I’m very thankful for my home and it would be nice if everyone had one, but that’s not the case. So, to provide a shelter is extremely important, “said Martin.
“I’m looking forward to seeing people from different walks of life and different ages coming together to participate in something that is very important for our community. We’ve really needed a men’s shelter for a long time, and it is nice to see people come out and support it.”
Sharon Vanier is one of four people who wanted to do a fundraiser for Hope Awaits Ministries, and the Homeless Night Challenge was the result.
“Hope Awaits wants to change the cycle of homelessness in North Bay by taking men into a home where they actually have a room for themselves. They assess each man as he comes in for what his needs are, and then they work with him for whatever length of time they need,” explained Vanier.
“Some of them go back to school, some of them get jobs, some get help finding an apartment.”
Since opening its doors in May of 2018, 30 men have made use of its services.
“I’m hoping many people come out Friday night because two of the men are going to give testimonials. They will tell the public what they experienced. When you hear it from the mouth of a man whose life has been changed, it really is encouraging,” said Vanier.
“Sometimes something goes sideways in their life. They’ve lost a job, they may not have any family support here, they end up out on the street or sleeping in their car because they couldn’t pay their rent. There are so many men out there that need help and honestly, some just need a small hand up. Some of them have only been there a couple of weeks, and the difference it has made in their lives is incredible. I thought we needed to do something more than lip service. We need to get involved in our community and really help out by doing something that makes a difference.”
So far 14 teams have registered for the challenge.
The opening ceremonies begin at 6 Friday night followed by musical entertainment.
The Gathering Place is hosting a community pancake breakfast Saturday morning from 8 to 10 on location at Northgate. The cost is by donation.
Donations for the challenge are being accepted on the Hope Awaits Ministries website or by stopping by the location on Friday night.
