Even with 26 mph winds a few hours in and chances of rain, the men of Phi Beta Sigma still decided stand at the Scramble Light for 24 hours.
The fraternity is standing to raise money for the homeless from 8 a.m. Monday to 8 a.m. Tuesday.
“We’re doing this to be able to give back to the homeless community,” said Chris Clifton, the vice president of the fraternity. “Also it humbles you to actually stay out for 24 hours. Even though it’s just a day, you’re experiencing somewhat of what that’s like.”
They are collecting canned goods, monetary donations and gently used clothing to benefit Muncie Mission, and to raise awareness about what it’s like to be homeless.
Phi Beta Sigma has been doing the campaign for about 30 years, but Clifton said this would be the first year it isn’t projected to be cold.
“The Muncie residents are usually more monetary, Ball State students, they’ll bring old clothing, old jackets they can no longer fit into,” said A.J. Burks, the chapter adviser. “It’s important to know that we’ll collect all clothes, even though Muncie mission is strictly for men, we’ll still donate the clothes elsewhere. We collect anything.”
Burks said many people donate in morning, because they like to see that they actually stood out there for the full 24 hours before they give money.
“Sometimes they’ll drop a check off to us in the morning, or in our Student Center box, just to see that we’re out there for 24 hours,” Burks said. “So the whole idea is to feel what it’s like to be homeless for 24 hours without having a shelter."
Their goal this year is to hit $2,000 in monetary donations, and Burks said each year, they want to raise more money than the previous one.
The fraternity chose to partner with Muncie Mission because it is one of the few orgaizations aimed at men.
“So mostly homeless shelters and social services are geared toward women and children,” Burks said. “[Muncie Mission] actually works with them to provide a home, so that’s why we decided to partner up with them.”
Three and a half hours into the 24 hours, there weren't many people there, but Brandon Smith, president of the fraternity, said he thinks the traffic will pick up once classes get out.
He said doing this was important because the homeless don't get enough publicity, and if they do, it's negative.
"It's not that people don't care, it's just that they don't know," Smith said. "We're there to raise awareness and help out a bit."
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