In their shoes (14 photos)

Not long ago, Mark Whent saw a powerful play called In Their Shoes.

Last night, it moved him to move into a cardboard box for a night outside the Community Soup Kitchen, just to see what it's like.

Whent was taking part in BYOB (Bring Your Own Box), a fund- and awareness-raiser for the Community Soup Kitchen and the programs it runs.

Originally from Wawa, Whent is a paramedic and a third-year nursing student at Sault College.

He was one of 200 people sleeping in cardboard boxes and makeshift shelters outside the Community Soup Kitchen on James Street last night.

Joining him was his eight-month-old black-Lab mix-breed puppy.

Named Lilly.

"In part, as a personal thing, I wanted to do it to get to know a different part of the community," Whent said. "As well, it kind of got incorporated in one of the projects I was doing."

He said he'd been thinking about helping out at the soup kitchen for a while and when he saw In My Shoes, he decided to come and check it out.

That's when he found out about BYOB and signed up for that and to volunteer at the soup kitchen whenever he has time.

Marty Mann, speaking to us from just outside his creation called the Soup Kitchen Cabins, said he also wanted to know what it would be like to live in a box.

"All of us could be just a few months away from this," said Mann. "Life can change in an instant and nothing's for sure."

Mann, a pipefitter at St. Mary's Paper, brought $1,840 for the soup kitchen from the workers and managers at St. Mary's Paper.

"Even as late as 3 o'clock this afternoon, when I was sitting in the lunch room, I had guys dropping money on the table in front of me and telling me they want to sign up to see me sleep in a box," he said with a chuckle. "They want to help but I think they want to see me sleep in a box, too."

Mann said he did it for the experience and to better understand what it may be like to be homeless.

He also said he didn't think he could raise much money, but it was a lot easier than he thought when news of his plan to sleep in a box started going around the mill.

"I think this is a great idea," he said. "I'd do it again next year and every year after that if they do it again."

Mann's 17-year-old son and his son's friend were also joining him for the night in cardboard cabins Numbers 2 and 3.

Calna McGoldrick, the Community Soup Kitchen's manager, was also surprised by the amount of support for the event.

"It's just insane! We anticipated we'd have about 50 people and it would be mostly teens," she said. "There are 200 and they range in age from five years old to Ray Stortini, a 78-year-old retired judge."

While McGoldrick spoke, she gestured over her shoulder at Stortini, who was also slinging chili for participants alongside Sault MPP David Orazietti.

"Yes, he's staying here for the night in a cardboard box," she said. "The other one can't. He's got a little baby to go home to, you know."

McGoldrick won't know until later today how much money the event raised for the Community Soup Kitchen, but one thing she already knows is that the event was a success on many levels.

Many of the soup kitchen regulars joined McGoldrick to make sure everyone was warm, fed, safe and entertained.

"See Lee-Anne over there," McGoldrick said, pointing to a woman sitting at a table at the door, giving information and directing people.

"She played herself in the play and she wrote her own story," she said. "That is so brave, to get up there and say: 'You know, I've been to prison and I've done this and that and now look at me. I'm doing fine,'"

"No one can say Sault Ste. Marie doesn't care, because we've got all these people and they'll all be sleeping together out there. It's really incredible, just incredible."

By early evening it was fully dark and several people were still setting up boxes while others got to know each around the fires and steaming cups of coffee.

They were waiting for Sault MP Tony Martin, who will also be spending the night.

While McGoldrick spoke, a young man squeezed by her with an electronic drum kit, headed for the makeshift stage.

"And, yes, there will be music from the band Indigo, who volunteered for us," McGoldrick said.

She also said that some of the residents from Pauline's Place would be entertaining for a while.

This morning, the event wrapped up with a big, hot breakfast before the cardboard boxers drag their undoubtedly weary selves home to warm, real beds.