RECALLING COUNTY'S FORGOTTEN; VALLEY CHURCH HOLDS SERVICE FOR HOMELESS.Byline: Leilani Albano Daily News Staff Writer Fawn Gray died on the streets in 1995, homeless but not forgotten. On Sunday, Lawrence Burnshire, himself homeless, joined 200 others at Sepulveda United Methodist Church United Methodist Church, in the United States, religious body formed by the union in 1968 of the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church (see Methodism). in North Hills for a memorial service for 25 of the more than 200 indigents who die every month in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County. Burnshire said Gray was just 24 when she died, her life extinguished by a heroin overdose. However, he'll always remember her as a good person, the woman he loved. ``She was a gentle, caring person,'' he said. ``I wouldn't have been surprised if we hadn't gotten married.'' The Sunday service was held by the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. Homeless Coalition to memorialize me·mo·ri·al·ize tr.v. me·mo·ri·al·ized, me·mo·ri·al·iz·ing, me·mo·ri·al·iz·es 1. To provide a memorial for; commemorate. 2. To present a memorial to; petition. some of the 2,000 unclaimed bodies that are cremated in L.A. County every year and buried in paupers' graves. Most of the dead have been forgotten by friends and family. On Sunday, those who did remember gathered at the North Hills church to say a few words and take part in a candlelight vigil A candelight vigil is an outdoor assembly of people carrying candles, held after sunset. Such events are typically held either to protest at the suffering of some marginalized group of people, or in memory of lives lost to some disease, disaster, massacre or other tragedy. , holiday dinner and gift distribution. Jeffrey Farber, assistant director of the L.A. Family Housing Corp., said the event provided an opportunity to instill in·still v. To pour in drop by drop. in  stil·la tion n. some hope in the lives of the mourners, most of whom are homeless as well. ``It's a way for them to know there are people who really care,'' Farber said. ``It's acknowledging those who died. We can't forget about that.'' CAPTION(S): 2 Photos PHOTO (1) Sepulveda United Methodist Church holds a homeless memorial Sunday. (2) Gregory Rowe reflects on two brothers during a symbolic service from L.A. County's homeless. Michael Owen Baker/Daily News |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion