Annual Winthrop event raises awareness about poverty
Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 9:45AM By Connor De Bruler
and Devang Joshi
debrulerc@thejohnsonian.com
joshid@thejohnsonian.com
Fifteen cardboard boxes were strewn out on the Dinkins lawn like an unrealized refugee camp in the dim halogen glow of the street lamps. Each square represented an uneaten meal, an un-cashed paycheck and another lonely night.
“Sleeping Out for the Homeless” is an annual Winthrop event in which students sleep outside to raise awareness of homelessness. Participants can also donate canned goods or clothing to the Salvation Army.
Bobby Kirkland, a senior music major, started the “Sleep Out for the Homeless” event this year by setting up posters around the Dinkins grounds illustrating the facts about poverty in America and around the world. The poster said, ‘The average American eats 6 pounds of food a day and throws out 500 pounds of food a year.’
‘South Carolina ranks 40th for national child poverty,’ read another.
Kirkland is a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. The fraternity organizes the event each year with Zeta Phi Beta sorority.
“We typically get about fifty people sleeping out on the lawn at night,” he said.
The night gave individuals time to reflect on a situation many people go through in this country.
Kirkland spent many moments in deep reflection, taking time to walk away from the group and gaze upon the somber information on the posters.
The moment was truly captured when a few individuals found themselves silently trekking through the lonely cardboard squares, taking time perhaps to be thankful of the luxuries they enjoy in their lives, thinking about those less fortunate who live through this reality every day.
The turnout for this event was not very good. Of the few people who came, even fewer decided to spend the night in the damp, October chill.
Chelsea Brown, a freshman broadcasting major, came by to offer hot chocolate to those roughing the night.
“To be honest, my friends in the sorority asked me to come,” she said. “The advertising for this event wasn’t very good. It was on Facebook.”
Alexandra Graham, a freshman integrated marketing communication major, said she believes whole-heartedly in the cause.
“I’m not in Zeta Phi Beta but these people are my friends and I thought it was important to make them hot chocolate,” she said.
Despite the low turnout, the event was able to move forward on a positive note as students came and went. As the hours continued to churn away and the cold air gave way to the clear night sky, students continued to socialize and ruminate on those less fortunate.
