The city of Eugene, Oregon, will hold a candlelight vigil Saturday to honor homeless residents who have died this year.
The Eugene Human Rights Commission is hosting the event, which starts at 5 p.m. at the on 8th Street and Park Street downtown. It will commemorate National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day.
The city's Multicultural Liaison, Melissa Cariño, said it's a chance to remember and grieve those the community has lost. She said lack of warmth, food and healthcare on the street can all shorten a homeless person's life.
"Dec. 21 is the first day of winter, and those cold temperatures and not having shelter can do damage to a person's body and their immune system," said Cariño.
Mayor Lucy Vinis and members of the Human Rights Commission are scheduled to speak at the event. Cariño said the first hour will serve as a resource fair, while the second hour will resemble a memorial service.
"They state every person that we lost, their name, say it out loud," said Cariño. "They ring a bell, and they set a candle for that person."
Ahead of the event, the public can submit names of recently deceased people for recognition, using an online form.
This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.