Sydney’s property professionals big chill for YOTS fundraiser sleep out

They’re used to putting roofs over heads when selling multimillion dollar homes, but last night more than 180 Sydney real estate professionals, including auctioneer Damien Cooley of Cooley Auctions, hit the sack on chilly Bondi Beach to help youth in need.

The Real Estate Sleep Out was again well supported.

It was organised to raise money and awareness for Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Streets, a charitable community program aimed at helping homeless and troubled youth.

Last year’s inaugural event chalked up more than $134,000 with just over 100 attendees.

This year that tally has reached $256,000 - and is still climbing.

Passionate about Father Riley’s community work, Damien Cooley has a longstanding relationship with the youth specific agency.

Just this May Cooley Auctions held its 10th and final Cooley Golf Classic, an event that has raised in excess of $500,000 for YOTS over the decade.

“Events like the Real Estate Sleep Out go a long way to keeping organisations like Youth Off The Streets alive.

“They rely on people like us.

“The sleep out is as much about raising money as it is spreading awareness of the incredible work Father Chris and his team do,” said Mr Cooley.

“Last night we had 180 people all spreading the word and raising money for Youth Off The Streets,” he said.

Dinner for the local agents was a humble feast of pies and sausage rolls dished up out the back of a van by Youth Off The Streets volunteers.

Father Chris Riley was there before lights out to talk to the participants and introduce them to a number of young folk from the Bankstown Youth Off The Streets program.

After a night of sleeping rough on cardboard boxes supplied by Storage King Eastgardens, the agents were served up a modest barbecue breakfast at 6am this morning out the front of the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club.

The much appreciated meal was a helping of bacon and eggs dished up with the help of local club members.