KALISPELL — Winter Solstice is recognized across the nation as National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day to remember and honor lives lost due to homelessness.
The Flathead Warming Center in Kalispell held a candlelight vigil on Saturday night in honor of National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day.
“And on this 2024 national homeless Memorial Day, we celebrate it on December 21 because it's winter solstice. We have it at this time, because it's when the sun sets on the longest night of the year,” said Sean O’Neill with Collaborative Housing Solutions.
At 4:45 on Saturday night community members, advocates and local leaders gathered to honor six lives lost in the Flathead Valley in 2024 due to homelessness.
“So for that, we come together to remember all those that we lost this year,” said O’Neill.
The names of the six individuals lost this year were read to the group. Followed by a description of their lives and a moment of silence.
“These individuals were critical parts of other people's lives. They were very well loved,” said O’Neill.
These individuals who lost their life were in different stages of homelessness, some were living on the streets while others had finally got into a home but passed due to complications from homelessness. All of the people remembered at the vigil were under the age of sixty and lost their lives far too soon.
“I want everybody to remember how young these people were far too young; they had much more life to live. And the loved ones they've left behind are the ones that suffer,” said O’Neill.
Flathead Warming Center representatives encouraged those gathered to help the homeless community in the coming year to reduce the number of lives lost through donating time and resources when possible.
“Remember that let's not forget this. Let's act so that we don’t have to keep coming back here with more names,” said O’Neill.
The individuals honored were a part of the community and loved by children, grandchildren, families and other members of the community.
On National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, the Flathead Warming Center honored:
Jennifer “Jenny” Michelle Pervais, 36, born December 27th, 1987, died January 9th, 2024.
Talis Sands-Doran, 59, born March 31st, 1964, died January 29th, 2024.
Kimberly Danneen Hodges, 45, born September 27th, 1978, died April 7th, 2024.
Kristina Lynne Penman, 51, born November 21st, 1972, died April 17th, 2024.
Todd Allen Sampson, 55, born May 22nd, 1968, died May 17th, 2024.
Darin Wayne Harp, 52, born May 26th, 1972, died October 3rd, 2024.
