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Seattle Central Library Leaf Dedication, August 25, 2017
On August 25th , 2017 we finally dedicated and laid down 12 beautiful bronze Leaves outside Central Library for book-loving beloved community members. Pastor Rick Reynolds of Operation Nightwatch presided, and we were joined by many friends, supporters, and library staff and denizens. Library staff, we’ve learned, respectfully consider homeless people to be their “daily readers.”
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Summer Solstice Vigil June 21, 2018
WHEEL Women in Black stand vigil whenever a homeless person dies outside or by violence in King County. Since 2000, we stood vigil for 830 people. In 2018, the King County Medical Examiner and King County Public Health did an in-depth review of five years of deaths, 2012-2017, and found 162 people who had not been recognized as homeless at the time of their death. WHEEL researched these deaths and found that 82 of them were outside or by violence. These are people we would have stood vigil for at the time of their death, had we known. We chose this special time, the Summer Solstice, to name and honor…
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DESC Leaf Dedication June 5th, 2018
On June 5th, we laid ten new leaves in front of DESC to join the 22 leaves already there. Reverend Pat Simpson led the dedication ceremony. Friends and family of the ten remembered chose the placement of the leaves, and then everyone was invited to the community room of the Morrison for refreshment, sharing in a viewing of photos of those being remembered. After the ceremony, as leaves were being installed, a woman came up to one of us and said, “There are more. I have more friends from the Morrison who have died. We don’t have headstones.” That is why we do this. That is why we work so…
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Leaf Dedication at Angeline’s September 28
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Pictures of New Leaves in Ballard May 21, 2017
On May 21st, we blessed and dedicated five new Leaves of Remembrance around Ballard Commons Park. We were graced by the pastoral leadership and support of Pastor Britt Olson and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, and many other supporters and friends.
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Ballard Leaf Dedication October 2, 2016: Photos
October 2, 2016 In a moving and powerful gathering, the Homeless Remembrance Project Committee dedicated and laid nine new Leaves of Remembrance around Ballard Commons Park. In the words of our presider, Pastor Britt Olson of St Luke’s Episcopal Church, the ritual embodied “the paradox of how mourning and joy can co-exist.” The dedication was done just after a St Francis Day blessing-of-the-animals in the Park; we were joined by many friends and family members who gave special meaning to the experience. Thank you!
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July 29, 2016 Leaf Dedication: Photos
Friday, July 29, the Homeless Remembrance Project Committee, in partnership with Seattle Mennonite Church, dedicated four new bronze Leaves of Remembrance in Lake City—for Scott Trezise, Eugene Menard, Steve Pond, and Robert Shand.
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Mary’s Place/Gethsemane Leaf Dedication, September 26, 2015
On Saturday, September 26th, out of the Mary’s Place morning worship service at Gethsemane Lutheran Church, we blessed and dedicated six new Leaves of Remembrance for our beloved sisters Phyllis Detienne, Susi Henderson, Kim Winters, Mai Huynh, Gail Nora Brackeen, and Sally Corbett. Here are a few photos from the ceremony.
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Leaf Dedication at University Temple United Methodist Church, September 25, 2015
We dedicated and blessed two Leaves of Remembrance at University Temple United Methodist Church on September 25th, for John Read Avery and Lorraine Wong. We were honored to be joined by many from the University Temple ministries (the Friday Feast, the Thrift Shop, the Urban Rest Stop, ROOTS, the Needle Exchange) and by Emerald City Metropolitan Community Church. Childhood friends of John Read Avery and many who knew Lorraine Wong joined us and shared stories and memories of the beloved and real people they lost—too young—to homelessness.
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Leaf Dedication at Ballard Commons Park, June 18, 2015
On June 18th, more than 80 people gathered to lay down and bless three new Leaves of Remembrance around Ballard Commons Park. They were homeless, once-homeless and never-been-homeless people gathered together, and the feeling of community love and spirit was extraordinary and profound. Early on, a Bridge Care Center worker had to go across the street to St. Luke’s church to fetch a box of Kleenex. Through the afternoon, many tears of grief and joy were shed. The Ballard dedication timeline was driven by a special request made by Evelyn and Brian Gooch, parents of Dana “Fish” Gooch, whose Leaf was laid that day. Just two days after the Dedication…
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University Temple United Methodist Church Leaf Dedication, October 12, 2014
On Sunday, October 12th, supporters, family, and friends gathered to witness and celebrate the dedication of 14 new Leaves of Remembrance in front of the 15th Avenue NE entrance to University Temple United Methodist Church (1415 NE 43rd). These were the first Leaves laid there! With these Leaves, we remembered these beloved community members: Bob Quinn, Chris Stevens, Renee DeWolf, Lance Loder, Frederick “Teddy” Locke, Frank Zanella, Cindi Colleen Attison, Korey Klein, John Read Avery, Russell Hennen, Joan Schaller, Michael Doubles, Michael Lovelady, and Aaron Burgess.
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Ballard Commons Park Leaf Dedication, September 28, 2014
On Sunday, September 28th, we held a ceremony to dedicate and place six new Leaves of Remembrance at Ballard Commons Park (57th NW/NW 22nd), during the Sustainable Ballard Festival. The new Leaves honor Jeffrey Parker Bouck, Kenny Stoddard, Will Johnson, Cecil “Marty” White Face, Michael “Mike” Sheely, and Marvin “Marv” Hosking, Jr. We also rededicated a pre-existing Leaf for Karen Lee Pedersen. We were honored that the Stoddard family traveled 350 miles, from Orville, Washington, for this dedication ceremony.
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Seattle Justice Center Leaf Dedication for Daryl Ford, September 24, 2014
On Wednesday, September 24, 2014, following a Women in Black vigil, we laid a Leaf of Remembrance for Daryl Ford alongside several others in front of the Seattle Justice Center. His sister Connie remembers him as a gentle man who enjoyed the simple things in life, especially ice cream. We stood vigil for Mr. Ford earlier this year.
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Ballard Leaf Dedication Sunday September 28, 2014
YOU’RE INVITED to THE HOMELESS REMEMBRANCE PROJECT’s “Leaves of Remembrance” Dedication in BALLARD!! Leaves of Remembrance Dedication & Reception Sunday, September 28th, 2014 3:30 PM at Ballard Commons Park (57th NW & NW 22nd) Reception to follow at Bridge Care Center (5710 22nd Ave NW) For more than a decade, The Homeless Remembrance Project–a collaborative community effort facilitated by the homeless women of WHEEL–has created places of hope, healing, and beauty to honor and remember homeless people who’ve died in King County. The Project has two parts: A beautiful “Tree of Life” sculpture and gathering place at Victor Steinbrueck Park (north of Pike Place Market), and “Leaves of Remembrance,” with names,…
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Angeline’s Day Center and Bakhita Gardens Leaf Dedications, August 27, 2014
On August 27, 2014, we laid new leaves to honor Lori Dillon, Jennie Wilcox, and Anna “Soso” White at Angeline’s and Lynda Van Sant and Joyce Van Hollebeke at Noel House/Bakhita Gardens. Below are photos from the ceremonies.
