Twenty-two were identified by name in the program, though the speakers pointed out that there were certainly others, either not known or not found, who died this year. Some died in hospital, some in the street, two in the river. Very few of those attending the memorial knew any of them, and those who may have might not recognize the given names.
Representatives from the city agencies who deal with homeless issues were on hand. Our Voice, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Asheville Police Department, Green Opportunities, among others read the list of names as the congregation sang "Lord, Have Mercy." Afterward, the attendees lit candles, held high to honor the dead.
Organizers with the Asheville Buncombe Homeless Initiative stress that things have much improved locally, but there is still much to do, and they always need willing volunteers at a wide variety of places to help.
The names of the homeless memorialized today are:
Mell Ailes, Jesse Bailey, Charles Davis, Richard Evans, Geffery Gault, Steve Haluko, Gerald Hixon, Rhonda Lordman, Clarence Matthews, George May, Kelly Metcalf, Adrian Nelson, Rachel Nesbeth, Rich Ochoa, Sharon Ogle, Ian Pennell, William Porter, Matthew Ratliff, Vernon Rauch, Destiny Reifschneider, Sandra Smart, and Larry Short.
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Well done. Ironic, though, how good people honor the birth of a poor, temporarily homeless child, later to be an itenerant preacher, unwelcome in his own town - yet, many of those same good people would prefer to ignore the homeless, and those unwelcome in their own community. If we can honor those who have died, surely, we can honor the living and acknowledge their value while they are able to hear and appreciate it.
By TJ
12/22/2011