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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Surrounded by the hustle and bustle of Saturday&#8217;s downtown nightscape, roughly 50 people stood solemnly in a circle, taking turns reading the names of more than 100 individuals before blowing out a handheld candle and ending in prayer.</p><p>The scene has been taking place at St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Church for years during the annual Homeless Persons&#8217; Memorial.</p><p>The event has long been a collaboration between the Volunteers of America and the church, according to Ruth&#8217;s Place program director and Volunteers of America Wilkes-Barre programming co-director Crystal Kotlowski.</p><p>The service began around 2001 as a way to memorialize the area homeless who lost their lives, she said. Since then, local shelters and organizations who work with individuals living on the streets have tried to keep annual records of deaths in the local homeless population.</p><p>She said their passings cover everything from chronic health issues to drugs and alcohol and even suicide, adding the importance of holding a public service for the community to better understand homelessness and the situations that lead to it.</p><p>&#8220;Otherwise, these people will be forgotten,&#8221; she said. &#8220;People do tend to turn a blind eye to homelessness, and these people historically have just been remembered by the people in their community.</p><p>&#8220;I think it&#8217;s important to collaborate with a church in our area and put on something open to the public where they can see who these people were and that there are a decent number of them, and it&#8217;s something we shouldn&#8217;t ignore,&#8221; Kotlowski continued.</p><p>The amount of homeless individuals has been consistent over recent years, she said, with Ruth&#8217;s Place servicing about 300 women annually. The Volunteers of America also started the Give Hope homeless outreach program, which has worked with roughly 100 individuals since opening last year.</p><p>Beginning the service inside the church, the Rev. Timothy Allemen of St. Stephen&#8217;s gave opening remarks before a multitude of members from various shelters and organizations offered readings and more. Providing the keynote speech of the evening was Wilkes-Barre City Mayor-elect George Brown.</p><p>Homelessness will be a priority for him as mayor, telling the group that he often sees those struggling walk past his downtown office and offers them snacks.</p><p>Telling a story of how he met a couple living on the streets, Brown pleaded for understanding on various situations.</p><p>&#8220;We have to reflect on who the homeless are. They&#8217;re veterans who fought for our country. They&#8217;re husbands and wives. They&#8217;re people with addictions, and they&#8217;re people that don&#8217;t have addictions,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We have to recognize them as people.&#8221;</p><p>Earlier this year he said he met with a group who is planning to open a center that would focus on aiding local homeless individuals. Following skills training and other programs, Brown said the group plans to ultimately connect them with an employer.</p><p>His speech was admirable to Janet Kendig, who is currently residing at Ruth&#8217;s Place. She and her partner found themselves on the street after health officials condemned a house they were renting off an alleged slumlord.</p><p>&#8220;I was very impressed, very impressed. That&#8217;s the first time I&#8217;ve heard an authority figure or someone in higher office mention anything about helping anyone lower class, even beneath lower class. That seemed to be one of his main issues, and it warmed my heart deeply,&#8221; she said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">The Rev. Timothy Alleman leads a candlelight vigil at St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre after a Homeless Persons&#8217; Memorial service on the winter solstice Saturday evening. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219HomelessPersons_1.jpg</photo0><caption0>The Rev. Timothy Alleman leads a candlelight vigil at St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre after a Homeless Persons&#8217; Memorial service on the winter solstice Saturday evening. </caption0><photoCredit0>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219HomelessPersons_3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral organist Mark Laubauch plays a hymn during a Homeless Persons&#8217; Memorial service in Wilkes-Barre on the winter solstice Saturday evening. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219HomelessPersons_3.jpg</photo1><caption1>St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral organist Mark Laubauch plays a hymn during a Homeless Persons&#8217; Memorial service in Wilkes-Barre on the winter solstice Saturday evening. </caption1><photoCredit1>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219HomelessPersons_4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Rabbi Eric Mollo of Temple B&#8217;nai B&#8217;rith reads a psalm during a Homeless Persons&#8217; Memorial service at St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre on the winter solstice Saturday evening. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219HomelessPersons_4.jpg</photo2><caption2>Rabbi Eric Mollo of Temple B&#8217;nai B&#8217;rith reads a psalm during a Homeless Persons&#8217; Memorial service at St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre on the winter solstice Saturday evening. </caption2><photoCredit2>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219HomelessPersons_5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Several dozen people participate in a Homeless Persons&#8217; Memorial service at St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre on the winter solstice Saturday evening. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219HomelessPersons_5.jpg</photo3><caption3>Several dozen people participate in a Homeless Persons&#8217; Memorial service at St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre on the winter solstice Saturday evening. </caption3><photoCredit3>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219HomelessPersons_6.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre Mayor-Elect George Brown delivers a keynote reflection and offers his hopes for the new year at a Homeless Persons&#8217; Memorial service at St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre on the winter solstice Saturday evening. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219HomelessPersons_6.jpg</photo4><caption4>Wilkes-Barre Mayor-Elect George Brown delivers a keynote reflection and offers his hopes for the new year at a Homeless Persons&#8217; Memorial service at St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre on the winter solstice Saturday evening. </caption4><photoCredit4>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219HomelessPersons_2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Volunteers of America representatives Crystal Kotlowski, left, and Sam Orth join others in a candlelight vigil after a Homeless Persons&#8217; Memorial service at St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre on the winter solstice Saturday evening. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/web1_TTL122219HomelessPersons_2.jpg</photo5><caption5>Volunteers of America representatives Crystal Kotlowski, left, and Sam Orth join others in a candlelight vigil after a Homeless Persons&#8217; Memorial service at St. Stephen&#8217;s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre on the winter solstice Saturday evening. </caption5><photoCredit5>Bill Tarutis | For Times Leader </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Memorial service recognizes area&#8217;s homeless population</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Marcella Kester</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>