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Winter Solstice Vigil 2015
This year, Women in Black statistics have broken our hearts and all previous records: At least 60 women and men have died outside or by violence in King County through November. To reckon with this injustice and remember those lost, we stood with friends, supporters, and faith community leaders on the Solstice, the Longest Night of the year, which was designated “National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day.” We gathered at sunset (4:20 PM) at our Tree of Life in Victor Steinbrueck Park, then silently walked through the Market to Westlake Park, where we stood for an hour-long vigil. Afterwards, we gathered together to share and remember those lost. Reverend Pat Simpson’s…
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2015 Winter Solstice Vigil: December 21
WHEEL/Mary’s Place WOMEN IN BLACK Winter Solstice Vigil FOR ALL 2015 OUTDOOR/VIOLENT HOMELESS DEATHS MONDAY, DECEMBER 21st – starts at SUNSET (4:20 PM) AT THE TREE OF LIFE in VICTOR STEINBRUECK PARK (N. OF PIKE PLACE MARKET) then silent procession to Silent Vigil at Westlake Park (4th & Pine)5-6 PM then Post-Vigil Gathering @ the SHARE/WHEEL Offices (b/w 2nd & 3rd off Stewart) December 21st is the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year. The National Coalition for the Homeless designates it “National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day.” On this day, WHEEL (a grassroots organizing effort) and Mary’s Place (an ecumenical ministry) will stand a special one-hour, candlelight, Women in Black…
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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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September 26, 2015 Dedication of New Leaf Site: Mary’s Place
ALL ARE INVITED TO CELEBRATE the September 26th blessing and dedication of six “Leaves of Remembrance” at a new site: Mary’s Place, which is hosted by Gethsemane Lutheran Church. The Leaves will be placed in front of the Stewart Street entrance to Gethsemane Church (911 Stewart). We are remembering these beloved community members: Phyllis Detienne Susi Henderson Sally Corbett Kim Winters Mai Huynh Gail Nora Brackeen The event starts with an 11:40 am Blessing and Dedication, and then there’ll be a chance to share stories and memories. Please join us!
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September 25, 2015 Dedication at University Temple United Methodist Church
ALL ARE INVITED TO CELEBRATE the September 25th blessing and dedication of two “Leaves of Remembrance” in front of the 15th Ave NE entrance to University Temple United Methodist Church (1415 NE 43rd). We are remembering these beloved community members: John Read Avery and Lorraine Wong The event starts with a 4:30 Blessing and Dedication, and then there’ll be a chance to share stories and memories. Please join us!
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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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Summer Solstice Celebration
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June 2015 Leaf Dedications: Ballard & Lake City
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A Special Living Leaf for Roger Andrews
On November 19th, 2014, the Homeless Remembrance Project received a very unusual, touching, unprecedented Leaf Request, from a curmudgeonly, loveable 57-year-old Seahawks fan named Roger Andrews, who’d been homeless for a decade mostly in Ballard before moving to Nyer Urness House two years ago. He was in hospice, with a terminal cancer diagnosis. The prognosis wasn’t good: perhaps six weeks, at most. His former Case Manager, Beth, had taken Roger out in his wheelchair for a jaunt around Ballard, and they stopped to visit the Leaves of Remembrance around Ballard Commons Park. Roger remarked on how many of his friends, his “street family,” were remembered with Leaves there. He said…
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2014 Winter Solstice Vigil
On December 21st, the longest night of the year, Women in Black held a candlelight Winter Solstice Vigil, beginning at the Tree of Life in Victor Steinbrueck Park at sunset, to remember and honor the homeless people in our community who died outside or by violence in 2014. The ritual was led by Rev. Pat Simpson and Rev. Brandon Duran. After the ceremony at the Tree of Life, we walked silently through Pike Place Market, candles in hand, to Westlake Park, where we stood silent vigil for one hour for 41 individuals.
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Winter Solstice Vigil 2014
Please join us for the WHEEL/Church of Mary Magdalene WOMEN IN BLACK CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR ALL 2014 OUTDOOR/VIOLENT HOMELESS DEATHS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21st AT THE TREE OF LIFE VICTOR STEINBRUECK PARK (N. OF PIKE PLACE MARKET) starts at SUNSET (4:20 PM) then silent procession to Silent Vigil at Westlake Park (4th & Pine) 5-6 PM then Post-Vigil Gathering @ the SHARE/WHEEL Offices (b/w 2nd & 3rd off Stewart) December 21st is the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year. The National Coalition for the Homeless designates it “National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day.” On this day, WHEEL (a grassroots organizing effort) and Church of Mary Magdalene (an ecumenical ministry)…
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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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October 12, 2014: Dedication and reception at University Temple United Methodist Church
You are invited to the HOMELESS REMEMBRANCE PROJECT’s “Leaves of Remembrance” Dedication at University Temple United Methodist Church! 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,” embedded in sidewalks throughout the City. ALL ARE INVITED TO WITNESS AND CELEBRATE the October 12th dedication of 14 “Leaves of Remembrance” in front of the 15th Avenue…
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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.
