Cardboard City: No building permits needed

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WILMINGTON — Cardboard City 2016 will take shape Saturday evening when structures made of cardboard are built on the Clinton County Courthouse Square’s parking lot.

Even if you don’t piece together a cardboard house and sleep inside it, anyone can participate in the 7 p.m. Saturday “Hands Together” human-chain activity or can go see the CANstruction creations at 8:3o p.m. to see what the teams did with this year’s theme of Pokémon.

Cardboard City is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Clinton County Homeless Shelter, with the funds raised going toward the shelter’s operating expenses. The Wilmington A.M. Rotary Club has planned and organized the event for 17 years.

Clinton County Homeless Shelter Executive Director Denise Stryker said the “Hands Together” undertaking is being emphasized. Last year was the first time for the project and they needed about 50 more people to reach the goal of forming a human chain around the downtown block where the courthouse sits.

As of Tuesday evening, there were three teams in the CANstruction contest. The CANstruction will begin at 6:30 p.m. as teams build Pokémon-themed structures out of can goods and box goods that will get donated afterward to the shelter’s food pantry. Last year when there was a Disney theme, more than 3,500 food items were donated from CANstruction.

The winning 2015 CANstruction entry was created by MB Financial Bank in Wilmington.

At the center of the annual Cardboard City are the identifying cardboard structures meant to remind participants and spectators of one form of shelter that homeless people resort to in trying to protect themselves from inclement weather.

The judging categories in a just-for-fun Cardboard City competition include: most creative structure, biggest structure, most homey, most humble, and best use of duct tape.

In Cardboard City’s Clinton County School District Challenge, the local school system that raises the most funds will win a traveling trophy.

The house building starts at 6:30 p.m.

Stryker suggested the attendees of Murphy Theatre’s popular “Dancing with the Stars” event Saturday evening may wish to stop by after the show and visit Cardboard City one block east of the theatre.

Since 2006, Cardboard City has raised $152,881 for the homeless shelter’s 24/7/365 coverage.

Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768 or on Twitter @GHuffenberger.

The Cardboard City Organizing Committee meets this week to finalize details of Saturday’s fundraiser for the Clinton County Homeless Shelter. From left foreground and going clockwise are Fadi Al-Ghawi, Tom Popp, Mary Gibson, Kathy Johnson, Sigrid Solomon, Steve Roe and Clinton County Homeless Shelter Executive Director Denise Stryker.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/09/web1_DSC_0552.jpgThe Cardboard City Organizing Committee meets this week to finalize details of Saturday’s fundraiser for the Clinton County Homeless Shelter. From left foreground and going clockwise are Fadi Al-Ghawi, Tom Popp, Mary Gibson, Kathy Johnson, Sigrid Solomon, Steve Roe and Clinton County Homeless Shelter Executive Director Denise Stryker. Gary Huffenberger | Wilmington News Journal

At last year’s Cardboard City, Isaac Hargrave, a Wilmington Middle School student, and Larry Roberts work together to build a cardboard fort.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/09/web1_Cardboard-Kid-in-fort.jpgAt last year’s Cardboard City, Isaac Hargrave, a Wilmington Middle School student, and Larry Roberts work together to build a cardboard fort. File photo
Cardboard City fundraiser is Saturday

By Gary Huffenberger

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