The annual event, set for Dec. 21, offers an opportunity to remember our friends and neighbors who passed in 2024
A Homeless Persons Memorial Day ceremony will be held Saturday, Dec. 21, on the front steps of St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1309 Franklin St., Vancouver, Wash. The pre-event (music and spoken word) begins at 5 p.m., and the main event is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Refreshments and fellowship will follow the event inside the church building.
The event is organized by Council for the Homeless, City of Vancouver HART (Homeless Assistance and Resources Team) program, Outsiders Inn and St. Paul Lutheran Church.
The ceremony will also be livestreamed for people unable to attend in person. To view the livestream Dec. 21, visit https://bit.ly/49GkE0x.
The ceremony will include honoring each person who died by reading their names. There will be speakers and an opportunity for fellowship. Names will also be displayed on a poster, where people can write messages or add names of people they know who were impacted by homelessness and died in 2024. Approximately 53 names are on the list this year, said Charlene Welch, chief advancement officer for Council for the Homeless.
The most impactful way to honor the lives of people who died this year is to work for the day when everyone in Clark County has a safe and stable place to call home. The event will include a call to action for the public, elected officials, faith communities, businesses, social service agencies, philanthropists and all sectors of our community to make collective progress toward ending homelessness.
Iden Campbell, continuum of care manager at CFTH, emphasized the significance of HPMD. “It’s extremely important to honor people whose lives were lost and create change in their memory. Being a caring community is not a small thing. Join me in being a force for kindness and compassion with people in our community.”
Information provided by the Council for the Homeless.
Also read:
- Vancouver Police investigate fatality collision
Vancouver Police are investigating a vehicle versus pedestrian collision on NE 162nd Avenue near NE Poplar Street that resulted in a fatality. - Washington governor talks potential return of SuperSonics with NBA commissioner
Gov. Bob Ferguson spoke with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver about the possibility of bringing the Seattle SuperSonics back as the league weighs future expansion decisions. - Opinion: The income tax proposal has arrived
Ryan Frost of the Washington Policy Center argues that a proposed Washington income tax creates a new revenue stream rather than delivering tax reform or relief. - Is it time to lower the legal limit for blood alcohol content to 0.05 in the state of Washington?
Mothers Against Drunk Driving and families affected by impaired driving are urging Washington lawmakers to lower the legal BAC limit to 0.05, citing prevention data and personal testimony from Clark County residents. - Expert in homebuilding has several tips on how to make housing affordable
Veteran homebuilder Tracy Doriot shares his perspective on why regulations, taxes, labor shortages, and permitting delays are driving housing costs higher in Clark County and across Washington. - Opinion: ‘If they want light rail, they should be the ones who pay for it’
Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance argues that supporters of light rail tied to the I-5 Bridge replacement should bear the local cost of operating and maintaining the system through a narrowly drawn sub-district. - POLL: If a sub-district is created, what area should it include?
Clark County residents are asked where a potential C-TRAN sub-district should be drawn if voters are asked to fund light rail operations and maintenance costs.
I just don’t get why memorializing those who die homeless is more important than memorializing those who die housed. Isn’t this ‘memorial day’ just another form of identity politics?
When is there going to be a ‘memorial day’ for successful whites, or business-savvy Asians, or not-so-successful whites, or not-so-savvy Asians? And the list goes on and on.
Or is this just another way for all the non-profits to attempt to show their relevance?