From coast to coast to frigid coast, the 9th Annual Homelessness Marathon takes place this Wednesday, the 23rd of February.
Inspired by Jeremy Weir Alderson's decision to broadcast live, all night, in the dead of winter, as an effort to raise awareness of the plight of homelessness in his hometown of Geneva, New York, the Annual Homelessness Marathon sees community-based and independent radio stations broadcasting simultaneously across the country, and across North America.
Halifax's own independent radio station, CKDU 88.1FM, will be linking up with the international simulcast, as David Parker, Spoken Word Coordinator for the station, explains:
“Its a fourteen-hour broadcast, going from 6pm, Wednesday night, until 8am on Thursday morning. It's a live broadcast from the streets across the country,” says Parker, “but specifically Montreal, Halifax, and Vancouver.
"We're going to be talking about homelessness and poverty," says Parker. "We'll be looking at structural change, trying to change the way we address poverty and homelessness in this society.”
In the spirit of the Marathon, broadcasters from CKDU will be leaving the comfy confines of their Dalhousie University campus-based station, and will be staging a remote broadcast, from 9pm to midnight, at St.Matthew's Church, 1479 Barrington Street.
“We've got a panel lined up,” says Parker, “with activists, service providers, and politicians, and an hour for feedback from the audience. And then an hour of open mic with Joel Plaskett, who just confirmed. So it's going to be a lot of fun.”
Parker encourages everyone, from all walks of life, to head down to St.Matthew's Church on Wednesday and get engaged in the Homelessness Marathon. CKDU will have a live listening booth set up for the full 14-hour duration of the broadcast, and as if engaging debate, live music from Joel Plaskett, and great company weren't enough, there will be free hot food, coffee, and tea, served all night!
Bring an instrument, share some food and drink, and voice in on how to end homelessness.
