Leeland - Tears From the Saints / Tears of The Saints

Billy Beaulac

Published on Concord Monitor (http://www.concordmonitor.com)


Home > 'We were always glad to see him'

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'We were always glad to see him'
By Ray Duckler
Created 09/25/2010 - 00:00
Concord
Friends remember homeless man
Few people eating lunch at the Friendly Kitchen yesterday knew that their friend, Billy Beaulac, had died.

Word of the 46-year-old homeless man's death set off a chain reaction of emotion, widening eyes through the dining room and stopping forks in midair.

"Billy?" Cori Edwards asked upon hearing the news. "Oh my God."

The police found Beaulac in his tent Thursday in a wooded area near the Concord/Bow line. It was unclear yesterday how he died or how long he'd been dead. The state police suspect past medical issues played a part.

What's clear, however, is that Beaulac made his presence known. That became obvious when Edwards quickly rose from her seat, leaving her food and pigtailed 13-month-old daughter, Tessa, behind. She ran outside to cry alone, then came back, composed and reflective.

"He loved my daughter," Edwards said. "He'd go out of his way to be nice to her. He was the local drunk, but he was sweet."

Everyone said the same thing about Beaulac. He drank too much. He fought a lot. He tried to dry out. And he was loyal like Lassie.

Beyond that, Beaulac was a mystery to his friends here. That's the way it is in the homeless community. Yesterday no longer counts. Today is what's important.

"Nope, never asked him about his past," said Jay Woody, a 27-year-old couch surfer from Concord. "None of my business."

Dig a little, and you find the story of a man born and raised in Berlin who never quite found his niche.

Lise Beaulac still lives in Berlin. She married Billy's only brother, Thomas, who died from pancreatic cancer six years ago. She remembers a good side.

"When he was sober," she said, "and I'm going back as far as a teenager now, when he was a young, young boy he was a sweet kid."

But Lise saw another side. The troubled side. The side that followed her former brother-in-law until he died.

"He lost his mother at a young age and never really recovered from that," Lise said, "even though his family tried to help him."

The road became rough, his drinking a problem. Beaulac spent 20 months in the state prison as an habitual offender. He moved in and out of rehab, forever trying to straighten out. He spent nights last winter in the homeless shelter at the First Congregational Church, where the Rev. David Keller has tried to open doors for the homeless.

"We were always glad to see him," Keller said. "In recent weeks he realized he needed help again. His past created circumstances that made it difficult for him."

His friends at the Friendly Kitchen saw Beaulac's temper, drawn out from beer, sometimes vodka.

"When he got drunk he was a little bit rough, but not too bad," Randall Russell said. "As long as you didn't get on the bad side of him, you were all right."

"He got drunk and did stupid things, but he was an awesome guy," Donna Gove added. "My kids loved him."

Kids were mentioned a lot. They brought out the softness in Beaulac, a light that had been dimmed years before. Others spoke about a guy who always had your back.

"He told me he loved me all the time," Woody said. "He was worried about me. If he didn't see me for a week, when he saw me, he'd come up to me and give me a hug."

Benji Castro says Beaulac saved his life. "I fell in the river once, and he got me out," Castro said. "I knew him for a couple of years. He was one of my best friends."

Castro met Beaulac about a year ago, hosting him at his campsite behind Everett Arena, one of many areas that the city's homeless call home. Some met Beaulac near the railroad tracks behind Market Basket, others under the bridge near Interstate 393.

No one knows how long Beaulac had stayed near Exit 12, off South Main Street. A trip to his campsite tells you Beaulac lived there alone.

Five boulders guard the entrance to a narrow path. Just inside the boulders is a bucket holding trash, mostly coffee cups and plastic water bottles. Empty cans of cat food sit nearby.

The trail cuts to the right, where yellow police tape hugs its edge, twisting like a snake. The buzz from Interstate 93 is audible, the tops of cars whizzing by visible.

A hard left leads you to Beaulac's campsite. There's a tent with a mattress inside, shaded by a camouflage canopy and thick, tall trees.

It's secluded, the perfect space to get away, to hide, to sleep in peace.

There's a gas grill, sleeping bags, three white chairs, boxes of clothing, a big plastic bag full of aluminum cans, blue jeans draped over a branch and work boots sitting side by side near the tent's entrance.

There's also a black leather vest, Beaulac's signature piece of clothing, sitting on top of a black leather jacket, with orange flames on the sleeves.

A fire pit, serving as the living area's center point, contains charred logs, burnt cans, glass bottles and an empty cardboard box once filled with donuts.

An orange and white cat, purring, skinny, friendly, roams around, with no place to go.

(Ray Duckler can be reached at rduckler@cmonitor.com [1].)

Human InterestCONCORD (NH)Billy Beaulac

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Source URL: http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/217747/we-were-always-glad-to-see-him
Links:
[1] mailto:rduckler@cmonitor.com


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winter is on the way

Seven Hundred Killed from Hypothermia Annually in United States

Seven-hundred people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness are killed from hypothermia annually in the United States. Forty-four percent of the nation’s homeless are unsheltered. From the urban streets of our populated cities to the remote back-country of rural America, hypothermia - or subnormal temperature in the body - remains a leading, critical and preventable cause of injury and death among those experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.
NCH maintains that knowledge, networking and temporary seasonal shelter and outreach are three of the most important elements to an effective regional or local approach to the reduction and prevention of exposure and hypothermia.

This report is a snapshot of winter homeless services nationwide. NCH staff has gathered information for this report from forty states and the District of Columbia, representing urban, suburban and rural communities. NCH interviewed state and local coalitions, healthcare providers, and shelter operators in order to gain the best and broadest possible understanding of cold weather services available through these direct service providers and first responders. There is general consensus among public health officials, medical professionals and service providers that to reduce the incidence of hypothermia nationwide, local communities should implement effective and timely strategies to address the needs of vulnerable populations, including creating temporary homeless shelters and extending the hours of operation for existing shelters.

to get the full report go to


www.nationalhomeless.org

Summer tough for jobless, homeless - NashuaTelegraph.com

Summer tough for jobless, homeless - NashuaTelegraph.com

VASH Vouchers

If you happen to a know a vet in need of housing-send them to local va for info on Vash it is a housing program that comes with 5 years intensive case management, lots of ppl turn them down cuz they dont want interferrence so if you are lucky there might be a few at your local office

tent city Manchester

just my opinion
the artilce states that "most homeless who live outside can't take the shelters.
"They can't deal with the structure of the shelter," Tessier said. "They have mental health issues, or they are so into substance abuse where they can't deal with the setting."

So if this is the case, and many have been booted out of the shlter and banned for varous periods, including "life" where should they live?


Police arrest two, remove tent city
By MARK HAYWARD
New Hampshire Union Leader
Saturday, Apr. 3, 2010MANCHESTER – Two homeless people were arrested on trespassing charges Thursday evening when troopers broke up an encampment near the Queen City Avenue exit of Interstate 293, New Hampshire State Police said.
In the preceding days, troopers had twice warned residents of the tent city to leave the state-owned highway right of way, said Lt. Christopher Aucoin. He said police removed about six tents, which had carpeting inside
"We were getting phone calls from motorists about bonfires at night and people walking on the highway ramp with alcohol," Aucoin said. Police consulted with the state Department of Transportation, which asked police to remove the homeless, he said.
Police charged Rebecca Murray, 45, and David Esbourne, 37, with criminal trespass. Aucoin said both were taken to the Valley Street jail, and one was released on personal recognizance Thursday. Neither was listed at the jail last night.
Meanwhile, the director of the largest shelter in the city said dozens of camps used by the homeless exist in the Manchester area.
Some comprise a single, mentally ill person who cannot be around others. Other encampments have several people, said Mike Tessier, director of New Horizons for New Hampshire, the main shelter and soup kitchen for Manchester.
Tessier said the two who were arrested would probably return to the woods.
"They may go to a different location. They may try to cover their places a little bit differently," Tessier said.
As it gets warmer, more homeless people stay outside all night, he said. Trees will soon have leaves, and the encampments will be less visible, but that will change when the leaves fall in autumn.
Aucoin said the encampments present a hazard. The tents and the bonfires are a distraction to motorists exiting I-293 north at Queen City Avenue. As pedestrians, the homeless could get struck on the highway ramp as they walk to the camp. And the camps have no sanitary systems.
He said troopers visited the encampment three times. The first time, troopers asked the homeless to leave. The second time, they asked for names and identification of about eight people.
Murray and Esbourne were arrested on the third visit. State police have asked the DOT to post the property, Aucoin said.
He said DOT workers picked up the belongings, which included tents, bicycles and the carpeting. The belongings will be returned if the owners come forward and ask for them, he said.
"The police aren't looking for situations like this; the public brings it to our attention," Aucoin said. He said troopers encouraged the homeless to use shelters in Manchester and provided information about the temporary housing.
But Tessier said most homeless who live outside can't take the shelters.
"They can't deal with the structure of the shelter," Tessier said. "They have mental health issues, or they are so into substance abuse where they can't deal with the setting."
He said the city, Catholic Medical Center, New Horizons and other agencies provide nurses, mental health workers, social service workers and others to aid the homeless. Part of that work involves encouraging the homeless people to take advantage of services.
A former police officer, Tessier said he used to break up homeless encampments. He said Manchester police only do so at the request of property owners.
"The tent cities, they've been around forever," Tessier said. "When only the railroad yard was there, no one cared. Now there's a baseball stadium and condos. That's why people are seen more often."

NCH Tent Cities in America: A Pacific Coast Report

Tent Cities in America: A Pacific Coast Report

The National Coalition for the Homeless announces the first in a series of reports on the growing number of tent cities across the United States. The new report released today is focusing on west coast encampments. Tent Cities in America: A Pacific Coast Report looks at how current tent cities have emerged and operate on a daily basis, highlighting the community organizing efforts at work within these settlements and the growing need for affordable and accessible housing nationwide.

As the United States continues to react to the worst economy since the Great Depression, both leading and lagging indicators of this crisis continue to grow. Home foreclosures, unemployment, and the regional poverty rates continue to rise, as newly homelessness families see a double digit increase.

44% of people experiencing homeless in America are unsheltered (USHUD 2009). A growing number of unsheltered Americans are congregating in tent cities for safety, community and as locations of last resort.

“Tent Cities are American’s de facto waiting room for affordable and accessible housing. The idea of someone living in a tent in this country says little about the decisions made by those who dwell within and so much more about our nation’s inability to adequately respond to our fellow residents in need.” -Neil Donovan, National Coalition for the Homeless Executive Director.

This report is the first in a series of National Coalition for the Homeless publications that explore the tent city phenomenon. In future reports, NCH will profile homeless encampments nationwide and include a section on policy recommendations for local, regional and national policy and decision makers.


Go to www.nationalhomeless.org to read the full report

WMUR TV 9 NH Homeless Struggle With Survival

WMUR-TV 9
http://www.wmur.com/news/22697492/detail.html (video Not included)
NH Homeless Struggle With Survival
POSTED: 11:15 am EST February 28, 2010



MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Every night, hundreds of people struggle to survive on the streets of Nashua, Manchester and Concord. Hundreds more couch surf, relying on the good will of friends and relatives for shelter and warmth.

At one point, the city of Manchester launched a 10-year plan to end homelessness, but then the recession and housing crisis hit making the plan a challenge.

One morning in late January, News 9's Amy Coveno set out in Manchester with 24 volunteers in search of those living outside.

Pointing at a couple of pallets and a pile of blankets along some railroad tracks, Families in Transition team leader Joe and outreach worker Matt say they've found a camp someone is actively using as a home.

"This is the bed that they're sleeping on and just your basic protection from the elements from the top," said Matt.

More signs are seen under the Amoskeag Bridge. What may look like trash to the casual observer turns out to be three homeless camps actively being used.

Joe said it's a reality that he knows all too well as he spent a year homeless and surviving the elements himself. Joe said he now devotes himself to supporting the homeless.

"When you're out there all night, especially at like three o'clock in the morning and the temperature really drops, it's hard to get warm," said Joe.

Joe said he wants to prove that there is more than one face of homelessness.

Proof comes from a mother of four named Zanita living in a one bedroom apartment with her children.

Zanita said the apartment from "The Way Home Housing Resource Center" was her way out of atrocious conditions in a rooming house. Zanita lost her former apartment in 2007 and was on the brink of being left on the streets. Her family spent three months couch hopping before ending up in a bug-infested rooming house for two years.

"I would roll over my son and his belly had a little hive there, he was sleeping. He didn't even know they were just eating, just sucking his blood," said Zanita.

Zanita said she would stay up all night with a flashlight chasing bugs off her children. She said she cried for three days when she got the keys to her current apartment. The apartment is a temporary respite, however, as Zanita has until the end of the summer to find a permanent home and a job.

Not all homeless choose to stay in shelters, however.

Albee O'Clair said he's been homeless for 10 years and has lived in a makeshift tent for six of them. He said living inside makes him claustrophobic.

When asked how he bathes or gets clean, he motions to the river just feet away from his shelter.

"Sometimes you have to go in there to wash up," said O'Clair.

O'Clair showed Coveno the inside of his tent. It contained blankets, a lit candle and a propane stove. He says his most prized possession is a cat named Sheba who keeps him company and keeps him warm.

As it stands, nearly 50 homeless programs operate in the state, funded by more than $5 million in Housing and Urban Development Grants. People who work with the homeless say the populations is often invisible but they strive to make sure people like Zanita and Albee are not ignored.

Tell Us More: E-mail WMUR your tips and story ideas.
Copyright 2010 by WMUR. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

[Photo: Inside the abandoned Roosevelt Warehouse in Detroit, a body lies frozen in a block of ice. (By Max Ortiz / The Detroit News)]


Frozen in a Detroit building


In January, I came across a picture that stopped me in my tracks. It showed a sheet of ice with two legs sticking out, almost like popsicle sticks. It was the picture of a homeless man who froze to death in an abandoned Detroit building. The building flooded and encased his corpse in ice. He was discovered by urban explorers, but they didn't bother to call officials. Rather, they continued their hockey game in the flooded basement of that building. To me, this story was a gut-wrenching analogy for the tragic indifference that is so pervasive when it comes to homelessness. It's too easy to turn the other way, pretend these devastating issues aren't happening in our own communities.


The Tragedy of Indifferenceby Shannon Moriarty
category: Hate Crimes
Published January 30, 2009 @ 10:20AM PT

Every now and again when I'm scouring the web, I'll come across something that stops me in my tracks. Something that makes me sick to my stomach- literally. Something that bothers me so deeply I think about it for days.
Well, this is one of those stories.
Here's an excerpt, straight from the The Detroit News:

It starts with a phone call made by a man who said his friend found a dead body in the elevator shaft of an abandoned building on the city's west side.
"He's encased in ice, except his legs, which are sticking out like Popsicle sticks," the caller phoned to tell this reporter.
"Why didn't your friend call the police?"
"He was trespassing and didn't want to get in trouble," the caller replied. As it happens, the caller's friend is an urban explorer who gets thrills rummaging through and photographing the ruins of Detroit. It turns out that this explorer last week was playing hockey with a group of other explorers on the frozen waters that had collected in the basement of the building. None of the men called the police, the explorer said. They, in fact, continued their hockey game.
The hem of a beige jacket could be made out, as could the cuffs of blue jeans. The socks were relatively clean and white. The left shoe was worn at the heel but carried fresh laces. Adding to the macabre and incongruous scene was a pillow that gently propped up the left foot of the corpse. It looked almost peaceful.
What happened to this person, one wonders? Murder in Motown is a definite possibility. Perhaps it was death by alcoholic stupor. Perhaps the person was crawling around in the elevator shaft trying to retrieve some metal that he could sell at a scrap yard. In any event, there the person was. Stone-cold dead.
There are two things about this story that I find so devastating.
First, this story illustrates the tragedy of not having a home. The vulnerability of it; this tragic state where one can end up frozen in a block of ice in an elevator shaft. No person should have to meet his or her death in such an undignified and unfortunate manner. Where was this mans family? What happened in his life that he resorted to life on the streets? Will anyone mourn his death? These are questions I ask myself when I see homeless people who appear to have given up, who have resigned to the streets.
Second, the indifference of those who found him is perhaps most unsettling. The Detroit News Article goes on to describe how the "urban explorers" figured someone else would report this man's death. Now, I don't want to believe that the majority of people would be equally as heartless in this situation. But then again, how is this any different then when we shun those living on the streets? When we ignore them and chalk up their predicament to personal faults, Or that they "chose" to live this way? When we fail to take matters into our own hands to see that these societal injustices stop claiming lives?

See, I know this is a story about the tragic fate of one man in Detroit. But I think it's more than that. It's an analogy for the mindset of so many people when it comes to homelessness. They are indifferent. They couldn't be bothered by somebody else's misery, somebody else's pain. "Someone else will fix it." "Someone else will fund that shelter." "Someone else will help that child have a chance at a better future."
Indifference is, indeed, tragic.

winter report

the national coalition for the homeless just put out a new report it can be downloaded at http://www.nationalhomeless.org/publications/winter_weather/Winter_weather_report.pdf

cut and paste into your browser