Assumptions about camp out wrong
Mark Green
Issue date: 11/16/09 Section: Opinion
It wasn't until I talked to Dixie Serves co-chair Josh Lane, a sophomore pre-med student from Salt Lake, that I put my assumptions about the event completely to rest. I asked Lane about the event and he immediately told me about the 1,029 cans (about 881 pounds) of food they collected during Poverty Awareness Week. He explained how he had seen successful cardboard camp outs at other schools and expressed his hope that the event becomes a regular occurrence at DSC. His eyes lit up when he talked about the student pantry, an on-campus pantry where anyone who is hungry can come in for food with no questions asked, as well as the growth of Dixie Serves this year as opposed to previous years.
As we shivered in the cold he talked about his worries that the rain- soaked ground would limit attendance, but added that it was good for awareness because homeless people don't have a choice whether or not to sleep outside when conditions are cold and wet.
Almost ashamed of my earlier assumptions, I finally asked him whether or not he thought the camp out was degrading to homeless people. He paused for a while before he said he had also worried a lot about the event seeming disrespectful. He said they originally planned on games and entertainment, but decided against it because they wanted the tone of the event to be about awareness rather than fun. He said they almost didn't charge for the event in the hopes of increasing attendance, but felt that raising money was too important. All told, the event brought in $394 to feed the needy.
It's not often that I will admit I am wrong, but I misjudged Dixie Serves and participants of the cardboard camp out. Their purpose and cause is a good one, and they managed to raise awareness and money while remaining respectful and understanding.
As we shivered in the cold he talked about his worries that the rain- soaked ground would limit attendance, but added that it was good for awareness because homeless people don't have a choice whether or not to sleep outside when conditions are cold and wet.
Almost ashamed of my earlier assumptions, I finally asked him whether or not he thought the camp out was degrading to homeless people. He paused for a while before he said he had also worried a lot about the event seeming disrespectful. He said they originally planned on games and entertainment, but decided against it because they wanted the tone of the event to be about awareness rather than fun. He said they almost didn't charge for the event in the hopes of increasing attendance, but felt that raising money was too important. All told, the event brought in $394 to feed the needy.
It's not often that I will admit I am wrong, but I misjudged Dixie Serves and participants of the cardboard camp out. Their purpose and cause is a good one, and they managed to raise awareness and money while remaining respectful and understanding.
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