2 reader comments so far ↓

• 1 mt // Aug 26, 2010 at 4:09 pm

  No, tent city should not be hosted by Maple Leaf Lutheran Church. 1) If MLLC wants to truly be good Samaritans, why not allow the folks of Tent City to stay in the church rather than allow 100 + people to remain out in the elements in the dead of winter? 2) What MLLC does inside their church is their own business, what MLLC does in the parking lot outside their church, is the neighbors business-none of whom the MLLC Task Force will even talk to face to face in this matter. The congregation gets to vote on whether MLLC will host Tent City, yet only 3 of the congregation live within a block radius of the church (1 of which opposes such a move). 3) As a direct neighbor who has lived in this neighborhood for over 25 years, our experience with MLLC, when they decide to “reach out and take on new experiences” has been less than desirable. A good neighbor talks , a good neighbor does indeed “reach out,” a good neighbor makes provisions for those they bring into their church and/or parking lot–not leaving it up to the neighbors surrounding the church to provide food, clothing, showers and extra blankets and sourches of entertainment in, when snow comes, the busses stop running and driving in NE Seattle becomes difficult at best (which happened when the SHARE shelter first opened up at MLLC back about 13 years ago). I find it truly ironic that MLLC web site includes the “reachout.org” as part of its URL, for to us neighbors, this just has not or is not the case!

• 2 Morningside rez. // Aug 26, 2010 at 6:09 pm

  Tent City does not rely on residents surrounding it to donate. Donations are made from all over the city/area, other churches, groceries,+ random individuals. Minus the showers. I’m not sure about that. Altho I remember something about the Y offering showers for under $1.00. And of course “sources of entertainment” . That is above and beyond. Locally, Meadowbrook is about it. Maybe the pool could possibly offer showers (on a schedule)I’ve donated playing cards, and asst. games in the past.
  Snow situations…hard one, I see many a neighbor helping many a anybody in need of whatever. A wonderful person helped me take off my chains last year.
  Why neighbors aren’t brought in w/the church task force is a shame. ?!?! Has anything bad happened since the problem 13 yrs. ago ?
  My experience w/Tent City is it’s highly supervised and well stocked and
  FULL of grateful temporary neighbors.
  You’d think after now we wouldn’t have this problem. And then there’s Nickelsville……..
  Remember, it’s just temporary.
  Many of these people do get back on their feet with the help.