Dec 2, 2006 7:56 pm US/Central
Child's Idea Puts Face On Homeless Awareness
Keller Students, Tom Thumb Join Blanket Drive For Philip's Wish
Kimberly Ball
COLLEYVILLE (CBS 11 News) ―
"It was so cold … it was sooo cold," one student said Saturday morning after spending the night on the football field under cardboard boxes to raise homeless awareness.
About 150 Central High School students spent the night in freezing temperatures for the annual blanket drive started by a 10-year-old.
"People sleeping under bridges and grassy areas made me feel sad," Phillip Bunch said.
Phillip's father has schizophrenia and spent many nights on the cold streets of Fort Worth, the family said.
"He said, 'Mommy, do you think my daddy's warm enough?' I lost it then, but I kept myself together, and I said, 'yeah, sweetie, I think daddy's warm enough,' and he said, 'Mommy what about all those people that were out there?' "
Phillip and his mother began a collection of more than 500 blankets for the homeless.
That was three years ago.
This year, with the help of area churches and drives like the one last night, they hope to raise 10,000 blankets.
"You expect it to be cold, but not that cold, and it's really hard," student Stacie Fisher said of the experience.
"It makes the night seem that much longer when it's that cold and you don't have a house or anything."
The Central High students collected more than 250 blankets from last night's event.
Tarrant County Tom Thumb grocery stores will continue the drive. People can donate blankets to Philip's Wish at participating stores through Dec. 15.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
