Print bosses have so far raised more than $40,000 for Australia’s homeless at the annual CEO Sleepout, saying the experience made them better leaders and more aware of the problem.
The 14 industry figures bedded down in sleeping bags on hardboard mats, covered only by a piece of cardboard, on a chilly winter night, contemplating the plight of the country’s 105,000 homeless.
Cheque-Mates chief executive Rodney Frost leads the table for money raised by printers with $11,485 in his sixth sleepout and challenged other printers to get involved next year.
“It would be great to get 30 or 40 printers here, how good would it be to look at the list of participants and see that?” he says.
“A contracting industry like printing should be giving back to the community with so many of its workers losing their jobs.
“It’s good for the industry’s profile and a great networking opportunity too. For just one night instead of sleeping in five stars, sleep under five million stars.
“My father was homeless as a young fella, so it is a cause close to home. We want to help change the stigma around homelessness, how people see it and how they treat others as they walk across the street.”
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Australian Catalogue Association executive director Kellie Northwood, in Sydney judging the upcoming Australian Catalogue Awards, raised $4420, up from about $730 last year.
“I think the homelessness statistics are shocking, especially for women and children,” she says.
“I like being involved in the sleepout because I can see what I’m doing working, see the money coming in and know it will help people.
“It’s great that most of my donations this year are from people in the industry.”
She says having attended the Melbourne event for two years after being in Sydney this year she would like to visit events in others states in the future.
Former Geon chief executive, and now Blue Star head of alliances and acquisitions, Graham Morgan raised $2971 in his fourth event – sleeping out with Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott in previous years.
“Homelessness is an issue all have to work out a solution to,” he says.
“By being here I raise money and increase my awareness of the issue so I can help the homeless more in other ways too.
“Every print boss should do this, for a small amount of effort you can raise money for a good cause.
“It’s especially important for business leaders because it helps us understand a part of the world we don’t see every day and don’t have a good understanding of.
“It helps you become a better leader and a better person, and be better able to help solve the problem.”
[Related: Last year's event]
Sleepout veteran Roy Rodgers, Flagstaff chief executive, raised $4435 at the Wollongong event wearing his trademark onesie along with Kwik Kopy Wollongong owner Michelle Morrissey who raised $1206.
John and Chris Tyqin from Goa Billboards raised $5070 between them at the Brisbane event, along with Smart Comm owner Rod Pierce who raised $2460.
Zip Print managing director Mark Teakle chipped in from Darwin with $2475. Other printers sleeping rough included Metro Signs owner Gary Fulton; Fast Proof Press owner Matthew Whitton; GJS general manager John Petri; Khun Corp Press & Packaging managing director Walter Kuhn; and Doran Printing managing director Shaun Hammersley.
Some 1041 CEOs around Australia have raised more than $5.6m so far, with St George Bank chief executive George Frazis leading Best & Less chief executive Holly Kramer for top spot $215,050 to $212,273.
Donations can still be made to your favourite printer at the CEO Sleepout website.
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