News Channel 5 Feature

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Featured Vendor:
Jerry Andreasen

As a writer and vendor for The Contributor, I would like to recognize the diligent efforts of Jerry and Karren Andreasen. Having been vendors of the month in November 2008, their efforts as vendors should shine clear. From the beginning, the Andreasens helped build a relationship between The Contributor and business owners in the immediate downtown Nashville area, sharing their stories and answering questions about homelessness and the paper we represent. With all the publicity over the “please help” campaign against panhandling, it is clear to me that Jerry and Karren have the right approach.

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The Homeless Man

How can you praise a homeless man
and call him “Father” Sunday,
refuse to shake the homeless hand of a man
that following Monday?
‘Cause one day that man
won’t be so homeless no more.
Won’t it be great to see those gates
him knock on heaven’s door?
And I’m sure our Father’s gonna
welcome ‘em in saying “well how ya’ been?
And by the way, you’re forgiven of sins;
no longer booze you should drink,
not wearing clothes that would stink:
you’re made new.”
And that’s just what my Father
would do, and for you too.
To see you up in heaven would be sweet,
but we must love that homeless man
seven days of the week.

Street Interview: Chief

“And me, I ran,
I couldn't even look at him,
For fear I'd have to say goodbye,
And as I start to leave,
He grabs me by the shoulder
and he tells me,
"What's left to lose?
You've done enough.
And if you fail, well then you fail,
but not to us.”

- The Format, On Your Porch

Chief: Dad went to have some kind of surgery - he was supposed to be in the hospital. He came there to the house and he was going to have some surgery done and he thought it was his time to go. So, I mean…he blew me away other than the fact that I was already high...

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