VIRGINIA BEACH — One by one, the mourners placed eight rocks with brightly colored names painted on them in a large planter in the center of the courtyard. A small tree strung with Christmas lights stood over them.
Each of the names represented a homeless person who’d died in the resort city over the past year — two women and six men. They ranged in age from mid-30s to 70s.
The group was remembered Wednesday night during the annual Virginia Beach Homeless Persons’ Memorial Service at the city’s Housing & Neighborhood Preservation building on Witchduck Road. It was one of many such services that will be held across the country this month to remember those who died while homeless. The events are typically held on or near the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year.
Norfolk, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Isle of Wight, Southampton and Franklin will hold a combined service Saturday to remember the 30 men and seven women who died while homeless in their areas over the past year.
It will start at 4:30 p.m. with a memorial walk from Norfolk’s City Hall to Freemason Street Baptist Church. The Norfolk Street Choir will perform during the candlelit service, and the church will offer a community meal, said Stephanie Van Leeuwen, executive director of the choir. As with the Virginia Beach service, the names of the dead will be read.