RECONNECT Done

The ‘Reconnect’ at Petrie went well. It started at around 6:30pm on the Tuesday night at Caboolture where they had a BBQ for the homeless. I loved this, I even offered to help out but they were all sorted. Everyone knew what to do and just done it. So I just talked around talking to people.

Yvonne Jones turned up with blankets and things collected by the Making a Difference (MaD) team. They didn’t last long and more people were going to be warmer this night.

They had around 50 homeless or in need there. They done well.

Jumping into the car Yvonne Jones and I were off to meet others to do the CEO sleep-out at the park in Petrie.

The group of us were sitting around this bowl which had a small fire talking about homelessness and things that were important. Each one talking, but thinking the same thing “It’s really and I mean really cold” haha.

I will say I was proud to meet such great people, we had students from a TAFE, Senior members of the Rotary Club, Business owners and even a Shoe Shiner there too.

One by one the group started getting smaller as they huddled up into sleeping bags. As the night started getting later I noticed every once in a while someone would walk through or around the park. Now I started thinking of how when I was homeless I learnt quickly NOT to sleep in such open places because of bad experiences. I figured it’s best someone stayed up for the night and just keep an eye open.

So keeping the fire going (Oh yes. Ha ha) I just sat there thinking of all the memories of when I was homeless. In a way I think it changed me a bit because since then I feel more driven to success than before, because I don’t ever want to be homeless again.

The CEO Gang

Morning came as did the vehicles bringing all the things to start the ‘RECONNECT’ event. About 40 organizations came from everywhere and setting up things that promoted there services. I helped putting up the Marques and things but mostly helped Making a Difference (MaD) because they had so much in the way of blankets, clothes and toiletries to spread out for the event.

Now I wasn’t going to come to an event to help the homeless without helping with clothes too so I organized all the boxes (around 30 Boxes) of clothes to be loaded and picked up by my mate Lee from ‘The Van That Can’ once again Lee came through and help in such a big way even though he had to be a Caboolture at 6am, the guy is awesome. But while I’m talking about awesome people I want to mention my sweet mum. She noticed a stain on a shirt so she washed and ironed all clothes in the 30 boxes, took almost 2 weeks. Now you know where I get my good nature from. Ha ha She’s awesome.

Morning came as did the vehicles bringing all the things to start the ‘RECONNECT’ event. About 40 organizations came from everywhere and setting up things that promoted there services. I helped putting up the Marques and things but mostly helped Making a Difference (MaD) because they had so much in the way of blankets, clothes and toiletries to spread out for the event.

Now I wasn’t going to come to an event to help the homeless without helping with clothes too so I organized all the boxes (around 30 Boxes) of clothes to be loaded and picked up by my mate Lee from ‘The Van That Can’ once again Lee came through and help in such a big way even though he had to be a Caboolture at 6am, the guy is awesome. But while I’m talking about awesome people I want to mention my sweet mum. She noticed a stain on a shirt so she washed and ironed all clothes in the 30 boxes, took almost 2 weeks. Now you know where I get my good nature from. Ha ha She’s awesome.

Denise and Katherine Hoyle

Works with Making a Difference, Not only did they have the biggest stall to hand things out, but they did the one thing I have never thought of and that’s, as females walked around they called them over and asked if they would like to help themselves to a box which had tampons and ladies pads in it. That way guys and others didn’t see them getting the items and a lot less embarrassing for them.  Very, very smart.

The whole (MaD) team work very hard all day of which I had trouble keeping up with them myself, being up all night I think it was about 12pm lunchtime when my back was really hurting and I just laid down on a bench for an hour.

Kirsty Richardson

I meet Kirsty for the first time at this event, but Kirsty has been friends with me on Facebook, Twitter and follows my blog for some time now.

I was talking to a girl named Sue and she was telling me how she’d like to get clothes for a baby. I walked Sue right over to Kirtsy’s table which had toiletries and young ones clothes. That when Kirsty asked me if I was ‘Grant the Polite Guy’ and told me who she was.

I later meet up with Kirsty and she told me she puts a few dollars away every week and buys from ebay in bulk just to hand out to the homeless. Ace’s in my book.

Yvonne Jones

Not only did Yvonne stay and do the CEO sleep-out but I can say she made hundreds of calls and meeting people to help put this all together. Then during the event she told me how important it was to help people get back on their feet and I could tell that the passion in her voice that there was no-way she would quit for anything and yet not asked anything in return. Even didn’t take any credit for what she did to help putting it together. I am proud to know her.

There were a huge amount of people helping and I could write all day about them. In time I will as I work with more people.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I did meet a girl named Sue who I got the chance to sit with and chat over a sausage on bread. She told me how her boyfriend was fearing going to jail because of mistakes with drugs and things. It took a few minutes to get her to talk about herself and I must say I heard some really bad things.  Nothing she had done wrong it was more that she had gone through and going through rough times. I’d like to say we had a good chat there and then, but a guy who drove her to the event demanded that they go home now. He was a real piece of work. He didn’t want her to get on her feet, he likes her right where she is. I wanted to put my size 13 boot right up his ass. But they call me Grant the Polite Guy. Ha ha. I did get her phone number and from that she is agreeing to chat with counsellors. I will follow up as time goes on but the best I can do is be a friend and help get the right people that know what they’re doing to do their job.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Weeks ago I mentioned about putting together a coffee cart which people from harsh background or having trouble getting a start at work because of reasons to get a break in life. I set up a coffee shop to do training and know all they need to know about the business. Also 20 cents from each cup sold would go towards a charity that helps homeless and people in need. So people getting help are selling coffee and helping others at the same time.

I have the machine and things but still need to get the cart. I posted that every cent donated on my blog here would go towards it until I had enough. In the 10 days not one cent has been donated. I must say I thought it was a good idea so I’m still going to put the donations towards the cart until it’s paid for.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Because a lot of people are emailing me about different and other things then homeless, I’m going to be writing in my first blog I started and that’s grantthepoliteguy.blogspot.com

I’d like to thank everyone for reading my blog and I hope you all have a great day. If you like my idea about helping homeless or people in need please donate on the donate button on the top left hand side of this screen.