BrendonFinnemore+04-15-2010

Hike for the Homeless a hit in Bangor By Brendon Finnemore **finnemoreb@gmail.com** (Bangor) – It wasn’t too long ago a woman and her partner (A very special dog named Cody) sat on the porch of a friend’s Bangor residence, praying for a home of their own. Out of a job and the resources to live comfortably, any faith she had left was about as far from Bangor, Maine, as you could get. She sat and thought about the struggles, and the losses that brought her there.

//“Where am I going to sleep tonight?”//

This same question is faced by thousands each year in Bangor and the surrounding community. Many must put their pride aside and visit a[| Bangor area homeless shelter] for a hot meal and a warm bed. Saturday, the fifteenth annual [|Hike for the Homeless] made this service possible for many more in the upcoming year.

Four locations including Bangor were chosen for the 2010 Hike with [|Husson University] being the starting location for Bangor. Student-athletes at the school participated, wearing custom t-shirts and making up a large number of the hikers there. Husson wasn’t the only school getting involved, as the media department of [|Brewer High School] was busy shooting video footage on behalf of the homeless shelter. After reaching the Bangor waterfront, participants could be seen crossing the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge from Brewer.

Live music, free food, and good company greeted hikers from the four starting point locations(Bangor, Brewer, Veazie, Hampden). As raffle tickets were drawn and recognition given to [|corporate sponsors], Dennis Marble took time to educate the crowd.

As Director of the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, Marble encouraged the community to continue its support. He went on to say that despite the great service him and his staff are able to provide, "A homeless shelter is not the best solution to homelessness."

So what is the solution? San Antonio, Texas, opens their [|"Haven for Hope"] next week. Maybe this 37-acre plantation will be an example for many homeless services nationwide. The Haven plans to not only house but also use their resources to integrate residents back into society and out of jail. [|Read the complete story with video here.]

According to the [|Hike's Website] only 27% of the homeless shelter's funding comes from the state or federal government. That leaves a huge portion of necessary funds up to donations and similar community events. [|Speaking with the Bangor Daily News], Marble expected the total raised to be even more than the $34,000 of last year.

Identifying herself as Claire from Brewer, one woman felt compelled to visit the event. "Community support like that is enough to make you want to thank someone," said Claire. Claire found herself on the edge after her partner of 27 years passed away and complications with his will left her with nothing. "I had no car, no job, and I'd started to eat at[| Manna]," she said. According to Claire, her faith in God helped her through and she was able to find an affordable apartment. The building was conveniently situated across the street from where she was at her lowest point, praying for help. "You never know where you'll end up. I'm just blessed," she said.

Over 2,000 individuals sought help from the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter last year alone. For more information or to make a donation, contact the shelter at 207.947.0092