By Luke Voogt
Tony Spence is used to caravanning across Australia in comfort and style.
But last night he roughed it, somewhat, in his backyard, as did dozens of business leaders from across Geelong for a very different CEO Sleepout.
“It’s just to put you out of the comfort zone for a night and experience what a lot of people are going through,” the Prestige Jayco general manager said earlier this week.
The sleepout, Tony’s first, was only a tiny taste of what homeless people faced trying to find somewhere warm and safe to sleep each night, he said.
“That’s the reason I put up my hand to do it. I know it’s been a tough year for donations but I still want to raise awareness for the homeless.”
Tony said he could only imagine the struggle they faced trying to find somewhere to sleep on cold and rainy winter nights.
“There’s a lot of people doing it tough.”
By Tuesday, 35 participating Geelong chief executives and business leaders had reached their initial target of raising $50,000, and set a new goal of $60,000.
Last year 72 Geelong participants raised $229,965, but Tony still described this year’s figure so far as a good result, given the economic climate amid COVID-19.
He looked forward to catching up with other participants via Zoom as they snuggled up in sleeping bags in their own backyards.
“Normally they do it at [Kardinia Park] but this year they’re doing it individually,” he said.
Proceeds from the event go towards St Vincent de Paul’s programs for the homeless and services for those in need.
To donate: www.ceosleepout.org.au/event/geelong/home
