Memorial Service Honors Deaths Among Evansville Homeless Community
By: Kayla Moody
Updated: December 18, 2012
Tuesday, people remembered those who died while homeless in Aurora's annual Evansville Homeless Memorial Service at Trinity United Methodist Church. This year was tougher than most. There were more deaths among Evansville's homeless population than ever before.
Nine candles represented the nine lives lost in 2012, in addition to dozens of others memorializing deaths in previous years. Friends and acquaintances of those who died talked about their lives during the service.
There are more than 500 homeless people in Evansville, some used the memorial service to help others appreciate the services these men and women provide the city. Mark Golike, a homeless man allegedly killed by a trio of teenagers in August, was a focal point of Tuesday's proceedings.
"There are some really hurtful comments about the homeless," says Golike's relative Tammy Golike. "About how they should just be gone. Well you know what, the homeless have gentle souls. A lot of them do. Just because they're homeless doesn't mean they're bad people."
The nine reported deaths throughout 2012 are the most in Evansville's history.
Nine candles represented the nine lives lost in 2012, in addition to dozens of others memorializing deaths in previous years. Friends and acquaintances of those who died talked about their lives during the service.
There are more than 500 homeless people in Evansville, some used the memorial service to help others appreciate the services these men and women provide the city. Mark Golike, a homeless man allegedly killed by a trio of teenagers in August, was a focal point of Tuesday's proceedings.
"There are some really hurtful comments about the homeless," says Golike's relative Tammy Golike. "About how they should just be gone. Well you know what, the homeless have gentle souls. A lot of them do. Just because they're homeless doesn't mean they're bad people."
The nine reported deaths throughout 2012 are the most in Evansville's history.
