Larry,
You will recall that Linn County Veterans
Affairs joined with the Community Circle of Care on November 18th,
2006 and held a Sleep Out on the campus of Coe College to raise donations
and awareness of homeless and hunger issues in our community.
There was significant participation from
many people and organizations. Coe
College donated space and campus support for the Sleep Out.
The Linn County Supervisors underwrote the risk management
coverage for the event. The Red Cross
made their Emergency Response Vehicle available. Several local food
vendors donated baked goods, coffee and hot chocolate. Literally hundreds
of individuals made cash contributions as pledges of support for the three
dozen people who slept in cardboard boxes and other make shift protection
for this awareness raising event. And
St Matthews Catholic Church donated a large portion of their
collection to this cause. We received media coverage from the
Gazette and the local television stations. People who came to
Coe on that night for the Symposium on the
Children of Abraham visited the Sleep Out and made donations.
The Circle of Care Blanket Drive
was kicked off that night and dozens of blankets were collected.
A total of $8,000 was raised and today 6
checks were written for $1,333.34 to each one of the 6 organizations we
pledged to support.
One
hundred percent of the
money raised was distributed to Linn County emergency shelters. Recipient
organizations include:
Cedar House Shelter
Foundation 2 Youth Shelter
St. John of the Cross Catholic Worker
Waypoint’s Domestic Violence Shelter
Waypoint’s Madge Phillips Shelter
The Willis Dady Shelter
Thanks for your contribution! Please
express our thanks to everyone in your congregation and at the
Inter-Religious Council.
Dave Langston
