Our friends at PC Construction are the Premiere Sponsors of the Spectrum Sleep Out. After putting together a crew of twenty to sleep out, they were also the top fundraising team for the event! And, they had so much fun that PC Project Manager Jim Bowie shared his experience with us.
The following is a guest post written on March 27th, 2015, by Jim Bowie, republished here with permission.
I learned about Spectrum Youth and Family Services during my stint with Leadership Champlain last year and was extremely impressed with what Spectrum does and even more surprised to learn how many young people they help each day of the year. When I learned that PC Construction was pulling together a team to participate in Spectrum’s annual Sleep Out, I had to get involved.
We all gathered together at 9:00 last night with a light but steady rain falling and the atmosphere among the over 100 participants was very positive. Spectrum’s Mark Redmond shared a story about young woman who was able to turn her life around with help from services provided by Spectrum. When she called and needed advice, he learned that she was struggling with a lot of car troubles that were causing issues with her getting to school and work. She wasn’t asking for financial assistance, but instead was looking for guidance to get through the tough times. Spectrum was able to pay for her car repairs which helped her stay on a positive path with her education and job.
The funds raised during the Sleep Out go directly to helping others just like her. It was a very touching story and only one example of how Spectrum helps youth achieve their goals.
After the pep talk, we all set up our spots under the tent and, after a bit of good socializing, we hunkered down for the night. I managed to get some sleep despite the noisy traffic through the night and lights along Church Street keeping the area lit. That, combined with the soggy ground, rain, and temps in the 20s, drove home the conditions so many of our homeless youth are exposed to year-round.
It was a great experience and a huge success. I’m proud of the PC Construction team for supporting the effort and raising over $26,000 for the cause – and I know I will be part of the effort again next year.
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