Okay, so this is Bernie's Beach Glass and this is just a little piece of Lake Huron, a little piece of Goderich.
I make these necklaces, and on the back it says, “Homelessness has affected my family, and the proceeds from the sale of these necklaces are donated to the Coldest Night of the Year.”
It is to help someone else who is struggling. Because I have lived that life with a son who is struggling on the street.
It's hard. And that all started six years ago...
I work retail on the Square in Goderich, and this lady comes into the store, “I'd like to put a poster up for an event that we're going to have first time in Goderich. It’s called the Coldest Night of the Year walk for homelessness.” I said I'll do more than put the poster up, I'll walk, I'll make a team - I heard about it on the radio, yes I will do it!
I have a team called Bernie's Bunch, and it started out that most were just my family and close friends. And now, I have people coming and they say, “I want to be on your team.” And that just makes me feel so good, because they know that it's for such a good cause.
It's just time to change our thoughts, change how we look at these people on the street. Because really, they're somebody’s somebody.
And when I'm doing my beach glass, I say that's my therapy. The reason I walk for the Coldest Night of the Year... I can't help my son, but maybe, just maybe, I can help someone else's.