It’s not exactly the ideal family camping trip, but one group of brave souls will be taking last summer’s “ice bucket challenge” idea to a new extreme, with the same focus on raising awareness for a good cause.

According to a January 19 HTRNews.com article, four men from Manitowoc, WI will be going tent camping for 24 hours at the camp sites at Point Beach State Forest to raise money and awareness for homelessness.

Mark LeGreve, board president of homeless shelter The Haven, decided to take this self-dubbed “Human Icicle Challenge” with three of his friends after seeing the success of other creative fundraisers. Last year, the ice bucket challenge raised an unprecedented amount for ALS research.

While going tent camping for a 24-hour period during the dead of winter may sound like a novelty idea for some, it’s what the homeless have to live with every day, through rain, snow and freezing temperatures.

“There are people who do not have a place to stay who, no matter what the weather is, they worry about where to sleep,” LeGreve explained.

According to HTRNews.com, LeGreve and his friends will complete the Human Icicle Challenge from 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31 to 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 1. The men are asking for members of the community to either join them or to give pledges and donations to The Haven, an eight-bed shelter for men.

Like many tent camping sites across the country, Point Beach State Forest is open to campers year-round, which not all people are usually aware of. So if you want to get a taste of the great outdoors this winter, there’s no better way to do it than to go camping for a weekend — just remember to stay warm and dry!
What are your thoughts on this story? Have any questions for us about going camping during the winter? Let us know what’s on your mind in the comments below!