With winter’s arrival and the close of the year fast approaching, those who succumbed to the ravages of homelessness in Jacksonville are being remembered.
Every December 21st, just before the days start getting longer, advocates for the homeless gather to remember those who died during the past year.
Changing Homelessness CEO Dawn Gilman said holding a memorial service on the Winter Solstice is symbolic.
“It is the longest night of the year. So for people who are out on the streets, they will have the most darkness. They are literally in the dark for the longest period of time,” said Gilman.
The memorial for the homeless who died in 2017 was held Thursday at the Salvation Army Chapel in downtown Jacksonville.
There were 31 names read aloud and 31 lives remembered:
- Theresa Baines
- Michael Barner
- William Benoit
- Ruby Bowles-Mack
- Patty Boger
- Paul Byrd
- Charles Connor
- Edward Clark
- Susan Dally
- Sarah Dillard
- Steven Ellington
- Andre Fleming
- Mark Fotheringham
- Richard Gamble
- Robert Hansen
- Robert Hicks
- Jennifer Holland
- Anna Kelsey
- Michael Kunz
- Tammy Lane
- John Mc Donald
- Stephen Myers
- Charles Narramore
- Willie Pendleton
- Gwenetta Singleton
- Robert Shepard
- Phyllis Vines
- William Wagner
- Jessie Walker
- James Waters
- Angie Zander
Contact reporter Cyd Hoskinson at choskinson@wjct.org, 904-358-6351 and on Twitter @cydwjctnews.
