A few members of the Baker community spent a night outside, sleeping on cardboard in 30-degree weather, to bring awareness to homelessness last week as a part of the Wildcat Sleep Out.

Students were encouraged to bring a blanket and to layer clothing to stay warm, but no luxury items like pillows or computers were allowed.

Sophomore Logan Pope, a Baker Serves member, felt the need to participate because the homeless population is “a larger community” than people think.

“It is really important to draw attention to the issue because of how large the homeless community is,” Pope said. “I am one of those people that gives money to the people standing on the side of the road holding signs that say ‘homeless.’ It makes me sad when I see someone that doesn’t have a home.”

With 19 students initially signing up and 14 showing up for the event, fewer than 10 slept outside all night. The students who stayed slept in or on cardboard boxes while wrapped in sleeping bags and layers of blankets. A camp was set up outside of the Long Student Center in the grass and another on the Mabee Hall lawn.

Many students who signed up said they wanted the experience of being homeless.

This is not the first time that freshmen Amanda Love has participated in an event like the Wildcat Sleep Out. In high school, her youth group participated in a 30-hour fast then slept outside.

“We were only allowed to eat like three crackers within the 30 hours and only allowed to drink juice and water,” Love said. “We played games to try and experience more what it would be like to be a child in Africa, who did not know where their next meal would come from. We slept outside in cardboard boxes, a lot like the Wildcat Sleep Out. I was very cold, and it taught me to appreciate what i do have, because not everyone is as fortunate.”

Shevy Booze, Baker University student affairs graduate assistant for student life, spearheaded the event, sleeping outside all night alongside the students. She said she would never ask students to do something she was not willing to do herself.

Booze is involved with Baker Serves and wanted the event to push students to realize how hard it is to be homeless.

“For this particular event I didn’t want to make a mockery of it,” Booze said. “I wanted to make sure they were doing three things: experiencing what it was like, reflect, make it, all knowing no one was forcing them to stay out there … You endure what they endure 365-days-a-year. You can barely manage it for one night. How do you think they feel?”

Booze is a native of Chicago and has seen many homeless people on the streets. She says she has a soft spot for community service and wants students to be aware of homelessness.

“There is a lot of opportunity when it comes to helping our homeless population,” Booze said. “We talk about how we treat our veterans and disabled, but the homeless are just as important, because it is most likely to be you. Being homeless is definitely a reality.”

She said she really wants the students to realize that having a home is a luxury and students should feel privileged to have one.

“You are privileged to say ‘I am going to go home now’ or ‘I can’t eat all of this.’ That’s something I wanted the students to realize,” Booze said. “Because at any moment that could be one of us. One bad investment. One bad case. One malpractice suit. Everything can be over just like that. It’s really being grateful for the things that you have and treating others with respect.”

Booze hope to organize this event again in the spring.

“Spring weather is unpredictable,” Booze said. “You might need layers, or it might rain. I plan on doing it rain or shine.”