Father Daughter Sleepout 2022

31 August 2022

Father Daughter Sleepout 2022

The Father-Daughter Winter Sleepout was a huge success.  We had 67 brave souls find their spot on the floor of the Atrium, cardboard in hand and hope in their hearts, ready to brave the cold and learn more about fathering, daughtering and the real experience of homelessness.

 

The Father-Daughter Winter Sleepout was a huge success.  We had 67 brave souls find their spot on the floor of the Atrium, cardboard in hand and hope in their hearts, ready to brave the cold and learn more about fathering, daughtering and the real experience of homelessness.  Our first guest speaker was Jesse Wynhaussen, Psychologist from St Vincent’s Hospital.  He presented the challenge of ‘conversation’.  Now that may sound uninspiring, but actually it was a bigger challenge than we anticipated.  Apparently fathers quite like to solve problems and can easily dismiss feelings as invalid when their daughter is trying desperately to share something of the experience of HER life with him.  It’s a natural way to love, but it doesn’t help the relationship.  Jesse led our dads and daughters to vulnerability, to genuine listening and to a space where they were able to grow a little bit closer.  Thanks, Jesse.

Our second speaker, via Zoom, thanks to the continuing ravages of the pandemic, was Dave Hammond.  Dave told us his story of homelessness, of navigating situations that were not choices but the only way to survive, and the love that got him through to a life of abundance.  Thanks, Dave.  A very warm vote of gratitude must go to our committee of fathers who helped it all happen:  Mal Wise, our commander and chief, Peter Carr, captain of cardboard delivery, Nav Singh who sourced the cardboard, Matt Rubie, who provided our amazing raffle prize, Fabio Luciani, who arranged our recipes, Joe Murphy and Mark Pavilard for their calm encouragement and care.  Stay tuned to hear from Fabio next term as the Fathering Project makes a welcome comeback.

Our fabulous team of chefs created three delicious soups - thanks Year 11 - and Amelia and Nav Singh managed to score us some very impressive sourdough rolls.  Thanks to Bakers Delight Bondi Junction, for their kind donation of bread and rolls.  Caitlin Young, Year 11, organised this for us and Sue Cobden delivered them in time for dinner.  The Father- Daughter Winter Sleepout was a great success.  We managed to raise over $3000 for St Canice’s parish, to support their much needed work with the homeless.  Oh, and of course Fr Sacha Bermudez-Goldman SJ  popped in to tell us something about the work they do and how our support is such a help.  He is a very welcome face about the place here at Vinnies.  Thank Fr Sacha!

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