Wow!
What a crazy Christmas Day, literally!! My son Zachary and friends Nacho,
Isaac, and Michael, collected 2 truck loads of clothing, food, (he made about
100+ lunch sacks, sandwiches, yogurt, top ramen, juice, candy) We set up on the
park blocks of downtown, right around the corner from the Union Gospel Mission,
which had 75+ people hanging out waiting for anything they can get to eat,
clothing, friendship, every day of the year.
We had clothes draped over the fence
surrounding the playground on the park blocks. I was worried that the city or
cops would come and yell at us. They didn’t.
We had Zack, Angela,
Trysten, Jessica, Nacho, Isaac, Michael, Mindi, Travis, We didn’t even set our
bags down before someone said “Hey, what do you guys got there? Any coats?
Food?” Unloading the truck a sleeping bag was spotted and barley hit the ground
before it was scooped up.
It seemed like there was just one or two folks
there, then I looked up a minute later and there was a “swooch” of people.
Asking if they could take a lunch sack. If the clothes were free, could they
have some of the dog food, “Can I have one of those tooth brushes?”
Everyone wanted a LIVE shirt. Thank
You LIVE for the donation! Many wanted two, but I limited them to 1 each.
By the time we were done with
‘Obama Man!’…..he had a meal, a drink, a coat and a LIVE shirt. See that smile? That’s what it’s all about.
The people loved the LIVE
shirts!
This guy was excited!! “Sweet! That is so cool of them”
This lady couldn’t believe it. I
told her that “the band sent me these shirts to give to you guys, to let you
know, that they are thinking about you”
Just look how happy that has made
her. She got a wonderful gift for Christmas, though I’m sure she expected
nothing that day. (Mindi’s boobs ‘photo bombed’ my picture!)
Some of the group who wished to remain anonymous....got caught on camera!!
I warned the teens, who came with
us, that a lot of these people are mentally disabled (“fucking crazy!”) and
regular mentally and physically disabled.
Like ‘Black Coat Lady’ she came and got some stuff and then I thought
she left, then I saw her again, left again, saw her AGAIN! She was looking at
stuff and talked to a few of us. Regular mentally disabled, she was hard to
understand, but Mindi kept with her.
The Rasta hat she’s holding, I
made several years ago. Saw her wearing it later that day and I thought “Oh,
cool!” :-D
It was like a free shopping
spree. I got more “Thank You” and "Bless You’s” and smiles that I have ever
gotten all in one day before.
The first guy that spotted us was
shacked up in a doorway with his dog, who’s leash was tied to the door handle.
Dog didn’t have water, never left his spot, tied up in the doorway. We where
there for about 3 hours. Poor doggie, didn’t get to go potty.
This guy saw ‘Obama Man’ got a
LIVE shirt and he needed one too!
I brought a big crocheted sweater that have,
it’s way too big for me, but it’s cozy and warm, I love it, so I’ve had it for
a while. This lady put it on her lap for
her legs in her wheel chair. That’s exactly who I wanted to have that.
The teens where learning all kinds of life
skills.
Collecting clothes, eating. So exhausting, he had to stop for a cig.
(See! There’s ‘Black Coat Lady’ again!!)
People where filling garbage bags
up with clothes.
Mindi asked, the blind guy, what
his favorite color was!!! Funny part
is….he said “Red”
Now, I have pictures here of a
lot of the people. Not all. Not pictured here is the ‘Booger Guy’ who had green
snot running down his nose to his lips. (you’re welcome!) Mindi said: “Do you think we should wipe his
nose?” we all told her to go ahead! She
didn’t. And ‘Fuck you!!’ guy, who stomped around screaming “FUCK YOU FUCKING
MOTHERS!! FUCKIN’ BULLSHIT MAN!! FUCK
YOU, YOU MOTHER FUCKERS!!!” and he was screaming it more angrily and more scary
then I could possibly say in writing. I
think the teens and the rest of us we’re like….”.uh…what do we do with that?”
It’s a great example of how our state deals with the mentally ill. Which
is….not at all.
This whole side of the fence is
cleaned out.
Everyone that needed a hat, got a
hat. Gloves, scarves, food.
Another couple that where handing
out sub sandwiches gave them to us to hand out as well.
(No photo
available)
There’s ‘Black Coat Lady’
sporting my Rasta hat!
The sack lunches where a big, big
hit. Food and clothing made their day. Nacho made a Brisket omg!! People where crazy over it, it was gone!
FAST!!
Most of the shoes where gone by
the time we left. One woman who was trying some on, getting some clothes, told
the man with her that we had dog food over there, that he should get some. He
said “no” and looked horribly embarrassed. Kept trying to get her to leave.
Thank you, to all of the group
for giving so much to others! I hope this was one of the most memorable
Christmas’ you will have forever. 
We had a huge fence of clothes
(‘Black Coat Lady’ !!)
In three hours the fence was
almost cleared off.
I think we all had wonderful
experiences. Getting a brand new coat
for Christmas has a whole new meaning when you see people who are thrilled to
get a used coat off of a fence in a public park. We left better people.
And they left, happy and thankful
for everything they got.
