Magician with a cause

Scott Hammell, an escape artist in Toronto, Canada took his tricks to a new level.  He's known for holding three Guinness World Records for particularly dangerous escape tricks.  CBC Canada reported, he entered a clear plexiglass box on October 27 and encouraged people to surround the box with canned goods until he was completely hidden from view, "making him disappear".  The box was 3.5 meters long, 2 meters wide and 2.5 meters tall.  All of the cans went to Free the Children's "Halloween for Hunger" campaign.

I'm optimistic that people are becoming more creative and generous as a whole.  Hammell is an example of taking something he's passionate about, escape skills, and getting the public to produce for the good of the less fortunate.  He made his act interesting enough that people walking by this plexiglass box on the street would wonder, "Hey, what's that box surrounded by cans of food?" and when they figure out what it's all about they want to contribute as well.  Hammell wanted to help people, and he thought of a creative way to do it.  This reflects the change in fundraisers of all type.  They're no longer tele-a-thons, but more creative ways to give back to the community and encourage people to get involved.

Scott Hammell in his plexiglass box outside of Toronto's Union Station on October 27 (Kimberly Gale/CBC)