Quotes about compassion decorate a box Carys Brewer designed for Saturday’s Cardboard City fundraiser for The Ark.
ELKIN — This weekend, a socially-distant version of the annual Cardboard City fundraiser benefiting The Ark will be held. The event is planned for Nov. 21 from 5 to 7 p.m.
“This will be the 6th annual Cardboard City Fundraiser for The Ark. November is National Homeless Awareness Month and this event is held the Saturday before Thanksgiving to also emphasize gratefulness in addition to bringing awareness,” said Committee Chairperson Amanda Brewer.
“Given the pandemic, the board has chosen to have the ‘city’ displayed in the vacant parking lot at the previous Walmart building. This will allow our volunteers to social distance easily and will allow folks to ‘tour the homes’ safely in their own vehicles,” Brewer added.
Participants of the event volunteer to “be in the box” rain, storms, sleet, or snow until they raise a minimum of $500 for The Ark. Among this year’s participants in the event are: Elkin City Schools Global Academy, Elkin Middle School Beta Club, Harry’s Place, G&B Energy and the East Wilkes High School Basketball team.
“The Ark is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and has helped an average of 124 people a year for the last two decades,” Brewer said. “In addition to providing basic needs for the house guests, there are general operating expenses, and many other needs. Cardboard City is our biggest fundraising event and is vital.”
Donations will be collected during the event on Saturday.
“We are asking folks to enter the first lot entrance from Brookfall Dairy Road (the one closest to the bank) and exit North Main Street. We will have signs directing traffic once inside the parking lot. The donations table will be directly in front of the vacant [Walmart] building,” Brewer said.
For more information visit thearkelkin.org/cardboardcity.
Kitsey Burns Harrison may be reached at 336-258-4035 or on Twitter and Instagram @RippleReporterK.