Print friendly
E-mail story
Tip Us Off
Comments
Share Article
Facebook
Twitter
Google+1
del.icio.us.
Digg!
Yahoo! Buzz
Diigo
google
newsvine
reddit
technorati
Yahoo!
MyspaceThe Veterans Memorial Building hosted a screening of documentary filmmaker Brandon Birtell’s Shelter. The sold-out screening which was a continuation of a July 13 public memorial for the 17 Santa Barbara homeless people who have died in 2009 - included the silent auction of artist Morris Bear Squire’s sculpture, which was revealed at the memorial.
The July 24 event echoed sentiments from the memorial, with Reverend Teena Grant emphasizing the unusually high number of homeless who have died and calling them “precious members of our community.” Bob Ballard, executive director of Hearts of Fire, performed two songs about the homeless situation. Following suit with the memorial, Grant and Reverend Mark Asman read aloud the names of the homeless who have died this year along with the locations and dates of their deaths.
Actor and Santa Barbaran Paul Walker, who produced Shelter, made a quick appearance to help introduce it. Walker apologized for Birtell’s absence and shot a quick video of the audience saying “Hi Brandon” to send to him. Shelter follows the lives of four homeless individuals living in Santa Barbara and emphasizes the scarcity of resources available to them, especially following the gentrification of area residential hotels, which formerly catered to low-income individuals. Now, many people are left to fight for spaces at homeless shelters such as Casa Esperanza. The film also addressed issues of dual-diagnosis, violence against the homeless, and emerging low-income housing projects. Two of the film’s stars partners and fiancees Jane Makrianes and Kathy Maxwell acknowledged the importance of the subject matter, but felt disenfranchised at the same time. “We got nothing for the movie, not even a cup of coffee,” Maxwell said.
Squire’s sculpture donated by the artist as the event’s primary fundraising tool for Casa Esperanza raised $8,000 from the winning bidder, philanthropist Sara Miller-McCune. Casa Esperanza encourages anyone interested in donating time or resources to visit its website or call (805) 884-0173.
Ty Manning is an Independent intern.
Previous Month
Comments
Meanwhile the killers of Gregory Ghan and Ross Stiles are out partying somewhere, as the shelter sucks up more grants..I wonder how much more money the place willl recieve for it's phoney tears...
Byrd (anonymous profile)
July 27, 2009 at 2:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
@ Byrd: I guess what you do for people is never enough, huh?
rick (anonymous profile)
July 27, 2009 at 4:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The crimes are not solved rick..They are just becomming more covered up..As they always have and they always will unless someone comes foward. That's the only way that these cases will be solved..Many people here in Santa Barbara really don't care in fact many are happy when a homeless person dies they think once they are all dead there will no longer be a need for places like Casa Esprenza, but that will never happen..But there will always be a need for Casa Esprenza, and it will always be another thing the taxpayers foot the bill for...A fact of life in Santa Barbara the homeless will never leave. A hundred years from now there will be another fat ugly old guy sitting in my place writing about how much he detests Casa Esprenza, who cares??? No one cares they are just happy homeless are killing homeless...Except I don't believe that to be true in the case of Gregory Ghan. I believe college kids killed him and someone knows about it maybe several kids know about that but no ones comming foward after all he was just a homeless man, just another speck of dirt under our shoes...And for the record pal long before you were a twinkle in your mommies mind I was working nights and letting homeless people stay in my pad..I supported them with my own money unless they had their own, fed them clothed them..And I never took a grant or took money for a damn thing I walk my talk...I also heard that those two gals were not paid for their roles in that film..I did hear that they were supplied with booze however..Which if true really defeats the purpose, you people really are a piece of work...Why don't you move to the mayors neighborhood? Good Day.
Byrd (anonymous profile)
July 27, 2009 at 5:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Indeed in the dark corners of Santa Barbara no good deed goes unpunished. One can only be thankful that the good people who dedicate their lives to helping the homeless have a deep well of patience. How nice it would be to live in a fairytale land where helping feed and house hundreds and hundreds of people - including untreated addicts and mentally ill - and delivering hundreds to recovery and permanent housing can be accomplished for free! The film was a 35 minute DOCUMENTARY - there are no roles in a documentary and paying the subjects makes a DOCUMENTARY invalid. Street rumours hurt people - stop it. Thank goodness that the vast majority care about the homeless despite the prevalence of entitlement, ingratitude, bitterness and dishonesty in these dark corners.
java805 (anonymous profile)
July 27, 2009 at 8:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
These are no rumours prehaps if you and others lived alittle closer to the ground you would see instead of being blind by denial...It is a free country thanks to our troops..That's what people tell me anyway and I am allowed my opinion. One who dedicates their life to others expects nothing in return...Homelessness has become a business where millions will be served.....For a price the taxpayers will pay..That is no rumour either...."There are no roles in a Documentary and paying the subjects makes a documentary invalid. Street rumours hurt people-stop it." Who are you the mayor? I thought we were talking about people here, subjects? You call homeless people subjects? Why you must be in the business....I stated that I heard Jane and Kat were paid in booze..I didn't say I had proof that they were paid in booze I don't doubt it though, and that's no rumour, that's my opinion..You know what doesn't hurt people? Treating them like people not subjects......"Thank Goodness that the vast majority care about the homeless, or would you rather say subjects? Despite the prevalence of entitlement, ingratitude, bitterness, and dishonesty in these dark corners.." Wow that took alot of brain power if you think there are dark corners in Santa Barbara you ought to move to Los Angeles..I don't think I'm entitled to anything but respect as others are..Your right about the gratitude though I'm not grateful that Casa Esprenza treats the majority of it's clinets like cattle, or if you will subjects..I'm not being dishonest I'm telling the truth as I have heard it and what I have observed for many years, and I'm not taking money under false pretences for it...Bitterness? About what? I have a disagreement with people and you call me names? That's to be expected I guess someone feels threatened by my opinion...Maybe they ought to get their ducks all in a row...The murders of Gregory Ghan, and Ross Stiles still haven't been solved but let us have another memorial and while were at it raise more money for Casa Esprenza...
Byrd (anonymous profile)
July 28, 2009 at 7:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)