The aim of the sleepout was to collect blankets for Girls and Boys Town which will then be distributed to the homeless. Over 60 pupils attended the sleepout and a large pile of blankets were collected. The school has yet to count them.
The sleepout was inspired by the 702 Sun International CEO SleepOut which was held on the same night in Sandton. Grade 7 pupils, teachers and principals at King David, as well as Rabbi Craig Kacev, director of the South African Board of Jewish Education (SABJE), experienced a cold Johannesburg winter’s night by sleeping outside.
The brave participants slept in the corridors of the school with only a cardboard box to sleep on and a few blankets to keep them warm. The pupils were given a warm cup of soup to keep their tummies full.
Gaby Cohen, marketing and communications manager at King David School said, “We have embraced this opportunity to create awareness among our students for those who are not fortunate enough to sleep in a warm bed at night. The idea of giving to charity and having empathy for others are values that are instilled in King David pupils.”
