The 705 Recovery Community Centre is gearing up for 'The 3rd Annual 24hr Window: a raise-a-thon for recovery'.
From 8 a.m. on May 6th to 8 a.m. on May 7th, four people will make the window frontage at 56 Dunlop Street West their home.
But, how comfy of a stay will that be?
Once a donation is made, spectators can reward the participants with food, a pillow, or bathroom breaks ... or they can play pranks on them. The more you donate, the better the reward or the bigger the prank.
Can viewers come up with their own ideas as well?
"Yes," Christine Gordon, founder and director of The 705, told Barrie 360.
"We have a standard list that we run off of to get everybody's thoughts going, but anybody can offer and if the participant accepts the offer, then we do it, we make it happen."
What's the craziest offer she's seen so far?
"We waxed one of the participants last year and then we put him in a ladybug costume and he walked all over Dunlop Street, and he is a bodybuilder, so, it was quite the sight."
The participants on the receiving end this go-round will be Sarah Cardoni, Bill Zane, Mel O’Neill, and Rachel Detta.
Gordon says spectators can donate to a specific participant by sending an E-transfer to the705barrie@gmail.com, and make sure to include their name in the message section of the E-transfer.
Over the past two years, the event has increased awareness about the organization and raised over $60,000 for the centre's unique programming that supports recovery for mental health, addiction, and alcoholism.
"We offer, rather than a top-down approach coming from the government and streaming funds into certain sectors, a bottom-up approach. If somebody calls and they need grief support, because we do have qualified professionals involved with The 705, we will build a grief support group," said Gordon.
"We've done that many times - trauma, grief support, we have an eating disorder support group, everything - which has been built based on what we see the needs in the community are."
The non-profit has provided recovery and self-help programming for hundreds of people each week since its establishment in 2020.
"We [also] offer things on the lighter side like yoga, self-care workshops, mindfulness, and meditation," said Nicole Marsh, public relations manager and fundraising committee member.
"If you come there and you don't relate with any of those resources, we will help you get connected and find the resource that you're looking for. We don't just send you out the door."
For more information about the event, how to donate, the participants, and available resources, visit The 705's website.
Banner image via The 705 Recovery Community Centre
