Print bosses roughing it for sleepout

Printing bosses across the country will take to the streets for a winter’s night, as the industry rallies to support the homeless with the CEO Sleepout on June 19.

Rodney Frost, CEO of Cheque-Mates, is up to his sixth year camping on the pavement, and is calling on fellow printers to join the cause.

Frost tells AP, “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.

“It is important for our business to give back to the community. I’d like to challenge industry leaders to get involved and give back. For one night, instead of sleeping in five stars, sleep under five million stars.”

Organiser Vinnies says more than 100,000 Australians find themselves homeless each night of the year – half of them women and a quarter younger than 18 years old.

Graham Morgan, head of alliances and acquisitions at Blue Star Group, who will be taking part in his fourth sleepout this year, says the event is as much about raising awareness as funds.

He tells AP, “Homelessness is a big issue for Australia, and sadly it often involves young people with children, and women. Two or three big events in your life happening at the same time – losing your job, divorce or the death of a friend or family member – can be enough to tip people over the edge.

“I think the Sleepout is a great event – not just for raising money, but in helping people to become more aware of what homelessness is really about, because it is not often how it is portrayed.

“It’s an opportunity to raise money for a good cause, and from a personal point of view I think it’s good now and then to reflect on how fortunate you really are, and how you can help others who are less so.”

Among the print leaders roughing it for the night this year are Kellie Northwood of the Australian Catalogue Association, and Jen Baile from Fuji Xerox SA.

In NSW, Roy Rogers flies the flag for Flagstaff, and in Victoria Gary Fulton represents Metro Signs.

Returning supporters Chris Tyquin and John Tyquin, joint managing directors of Goa Billboards, are again onboard for Queensland, as is Matthew Whitton of Fast Proof Press, Rod Peirce of Smartcomm and John Petri of GJI.

Walter Kuhn, managing director of Brisbane printing and packaging outfit Kuhn Corp, participated last year and says the generosity and comradeship of the event is inspiring.

Kuhn tells AP, “I think more CEOs should get involved and contribute to the cause. In our local area we have people sleeping on the beach and park benches and you try and do what you can for them, but at the end of the day it’s really not enough. That’s why I believe the CEOs should step up to the mark and say, yes, we will pitch in.”

Doran Printing will once again provide print work for the Victorian event, with managing director Shaun Hammersley taking to the streets for the second year in a row.

Mark Teakle, managing director of Northern Territory outfit Zipprint will also join the campers for the first time. Teakle took over the business two years ago, and says after printing some flyers and posters for the event decided to show his support this year and see what all the fuss is about.

Printers are also able to nominate their boss to take part via the Sleepout website – with the option to remain anonymous.

Some 741 Australian CEOs have so far raised $365,292 for the 2014 campaign – last year donations reached $1m.

 

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