Cold Weather Camp Out for Charity

[Sporty]

Hello all

This fellow in Grande Prairie has been camping out in the parking lot of the local Atco Electric fund raising for a local children's charity. When he started planning this endeavor, the forecast was for -15 or less temps. Now we've actually gone into a deep freeze and he went ahead with his plans. This man has got some balls. Thought I'd share this with you all in case anyone is interested in donating to his cause.

http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/Ar...aspx?e=3000409

For a guy who's supposed to be having the worst vacation of his life this week, Breen Taylor was pretty upbeat Monday morning.
Starting at 7 a.m. Monday and until noon Saturday, Taylor is camping out in the parking lot of Atco Electric in Grande Prairie, where he works as a power line equipment operator, to generate some community attention and try to raise $10,000 for Kev's Kids.
It is a little colder this week than he anticipated, but Taylor is not backing out.
"It's an idea that was spawned from my young five-year-old daughter, Brooke," he said.
"Basically what she came to me asked, in a five-year-old sense, is why some kids don't necessarily get what I have and why some kids are less fortunate …
"It's a tough question to answer when you're explaining it to a five-year-old.
"What I said was even though you may not be able to help every single person … you can make a difference in your community, and possibly make somebody's life maybe a little bit different."
He said it is "really critical stuff," teaching such lessons to children as they grow up.
Loaded up with firewood, a space heater and extra layers of clothing and sleeping bags, Taylor will live outdoors the entire time.
He will eat, sleep and find ways to entertain himself without ever leaving the parking lot; he even has a port-a-potty set up.
"I do have three pairs of boots just inside the door, because I want to make sure that my feet aren't going to freeze. Other than that, I'm staying outside," said Taylor.
"If you're setting the wheels in motion it's important to go through with your work.
"Up until last Friday, no kidding, it was supposed to be (warmer than) -15 for the whole week, and then it changed and it dropped to -29 for like the week … (but) I do like challenges."
Challenges indeed! It was -34 at 7 a.m. today. The highest it's forecast to get in the next several days is -14 (normal is -3). Lows will sag close to -30 (normal is -14).
And five centimetres of snow is predicted Wednesday.
Taylor has stocked up on extra magazines and has a hockey net to get some exercise.
If that fails, he said there is lots of shovelling he could do.
He will also maintain a daily journal – something he plans to look over later with his daughter.
There is no real surprise among co-workers that Taylor is seeing this through.
"He's a pretty gung-ho kind of guy," said Clyde Blackburn, Atco's customer service supervisor in Grande Prairie, noting that the company is completely behind Taylor.
"Atco Electric, in its efforts to support its employees, we have a donation matching program that we offer to employees who contribute to health and welfare organizations," he said.
"So all of these contributions that are made by employees will be matched."
While Atco Electric handles its employee donations, the public can give by going to local radio station Rock 97.7's website www.rock977.ca and clicking the link.
"We're looking for some awesome support, and I hope we do it – it is a big goal," said Taylor.
"I think we can do it. We'll see!"