Sask. town holds housewarming for 'red paperclip' man
Last Updated: Friday, September 1, 2006 | 7:41 PM ET
CBC News
What may be the biggest and longest party the town of Kipling, Sask. has ever seen gets underway this weekend when residents welcome Kyle MacDonald — the red paper clip man.
A year ago, the 25-year-old Montrealer got the idea of going on the internet and trading a red paper clip for items of greater value until he got himself a house.
After making more than a dozen trades, he now finds himself the owner of a white, two-storey house in the town of 1,100 about a two-hour drive east of Regina.
Kyle MacDonald makes friends with Alice Cooper, who helped in his quest to get a house of his own.
"I couldn't imagine a better place," said MacDonald, who's moving in with his girlfriend.
To celebrate the event, there will be an unprecedented explosion of activities, including a hot air balloon, performances by seven or eight bands, a beer garden, an open house, a visit from Premier Lorne Calvert and a Corbin Bernsen film festival.
Why Bernsen? Because an opportunity to be in a movie was the last item MacDonald traded for the house.
Bernsen, an actor and director who's probably best known for L.A. Law in the 1980s, will be auditioning local residents on the weekend for a role in his film, Donna on Demand.
Hunt on for toaster
While all that's going on, MacDonald will be busy furnishing his house. He started off with only a few items, but recently picked up two beds and is currently on the hunt for a toaster.
Once he's moved in and the parties are over, he's going to concentrate on his next project — writing a book about his experiences.
His year long quest for a house put him in touch with people around the world, including rock singer Alice Cooper. One of the items traded was an afternoon with the School's Out star.
When he's not writing, he's also planning to pitch in on a town project to permanently commemorate his paper-clip-to-house trades.
"It's going to be the biggest red paper clip the world has ever seen," he said.
