Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

Student spends day Columbia ho dreams, fear By TODD VENEZIA Staff Writer H is name was Rob. He sat alone on a park bench. The State House rose up behind him and framed his tragic figure with a back drop that ironically symbolized all the trappings of power and enfranchisement from which he was separated. Rob stands in marked contrast to the other homeless people I met that day because, instead of clutching ? bottle of cheap wine, he held a book. He also didn'i . speak of the futility and impossibility of trying to gei off the streets, but instead, told me his story in terms that left room for hope and held prospects for a bettei life. Unlike the others I had met that day, he had hope and the will to try. Beside Rob stood Yogi. He is a father figure on the streets of Columbia, a regular who has lived in the shelters and forest encampments of the city for the past five years. Yogi is well-known to all who share the streets with him. He was my guide and led me or a journey across Columbia to the river bank where many of the homeless stay. I was introduced to Yogi at Center Place, an organi zation that combines all the serial services such a* employment aid and fexxi. Our next stop was a place that seemed to provide no hope for those who live there, a place lcnown as The Jungle. Samantha Phipps, USC graduate student and direc tor of Center Place, said Yogi has been a regular a the Center Place since it opened more than a year ago He greeted me with a friendly handshake, with hand that are a pasty reddish yellow, a sure sign of cirrhosis of the liver ? a condition common among alcoholics. "One thing you got to know about people on th( street is that everybody drinks," Yogi said. The people to whom Yogi referred when he saic "everybody" is the hardcore element of the streets E A homeless man relaxes at the Oliver Gospel Mis Make Mom a 1991 Garnet & Portrai Are quick, absolutely and no appoint Monday, October 22 th] Monday, October 29 th 9 a.m Russell Questions strongly recommended t on streets meless share s, stories "I've been here 12 years and it's killing me. But it's just a matter of time. Out on the street it's just a matter of time." Terry, a homeless man * The entire nonulation of homeless in Columbia ? families temporarily put out on the street, multiple familes living in one dwelling, prisoners and mental patients pending discharge and anyone who lives on the street, in shelters and in cars ? is estimated at around ' 2,300. Phipps estimated that hardcore street people 1 make up about 35 to 40 percent of the homeless peo^ pie, but Rob, from his 13-month experience out on the street, believed the number to be as high as 65 * percent. Another homeless man, L. G. Smith, complained of how the police harass him and how the Salvation Army gives him the run-around every time he goes [ there to eat. [ "A lot of the times it's easier to live like this than [ to try to get a job," he said. As a group of people began to gather, a man named Dennis said "You want to know what it's like out here? It's a trip, but you don't know what it's like until you live it." Most said they stay at the Oliver Gospel Mission, at ' the Salvation Army or sleep outside. The Salvation [ Army puts them back on the street after five days, Yogi said. "And they wake you up at six (a.m.) and make you leave," he said. t Another rule the shelters impose is that anyone who wants to stay the night must check in by 4 p.m., which makes it impossible to work a nine-to-five job ! and have a place to stay at night. 'The only shift you can work is first shift because the mission (Oliver Gospel Mission) puts you out at 6:30. So if you work late, you can't find no place j where you can sleep days," he said. Roe HOMELESS nano 7 sion. "Ashley," "James," and "John" (left nd Dad Proud. bt<p Rnnlc Black Yearbook t Sittings fret, n lO all students, ment is necessary.* rough Friday, October 26, & Lrough Friday, November 2 . to 5 p.m. Flouse Mall ? Call 777-3888 hat you arrive early to beat the lines. mm 1>5| m" lit ^?ii i ry^ I * wm lil wm w .-. "James" gets a sandwich and coffee at the Oliver Gosp< to right) wait in line at the Mission. Got a news tip? Call The What's BIG D about WhaU Shuttlecock service Full furniture Laundry fa< Sleep/Stud; Swimming Securit Jr?& WM OFFICE HOURS: A_ . M-F 9:30-5:30 ^ *\A - / fl 211 MAIN ST. V ^ 1 * * S~r Eric Glenn/The Gamecock 3l Mission at 1100 Taylor St. V * Eric Glenn/The Gamecock Gamecock at 777-7726 the >EAL sy's Mill? ^ across street package cilities / lofts ; pool L f*SV ?mr san 101 "Mill & ASSOCIATES