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LEWISTON — New Beginnings Inc. and the Lewiston/Auburn Alliance for Services to the Homeless invite the community to join their annual candlelight vigil to remember people who are homeless during the holiday season from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at Trinity Church (corner of Spruce and Bates Streets in downtown Lewiston) with a brief welcome by the Rev. William Barter and the sharing of the names of people who have died in the past year while living without a home.
Service providers and attendees are encouraged to bring names to read; to submit names if you cannot attend, please contact New Beginnings Executive Director Chris Bicknell at 207-795-4077.
After the reading of names and lighting of candles, vigil participants will walk several blocks down Bates Street to Main Street. The procession will turn right on Main Street and continue up Sabattus Street and stop in front of Calvary United Methodist Church (in the triangle between Sabattus, College and Bartlett streets).
For many years, LAASH and New Beginnings have held this vigil as part of a national movement of cities marking National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day on or near the winter solstice, the first day of winter and the longest night of the year.
Community members are welcome to join the vigil at any point along the route. Participants are encouraged to bring signs to hold as the vigil remains in front of Calvary to raise awareness of homelessness to passersby during the evening commute until 5:30 pm.
The vigil will be held rain or shine, ice or snow, so please dress for the weather. Hot soup will be available indoors at Calvary, and New Beginnings will offer van rides back to Trinity or to the Park Street Garage as needed.
Each year since 1990, the National Coalition for the Homeless has co-sponsored National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day to bring attention to the tragedy of homelessness.
Additional details are available at www.newbeginmaine.org.
