Triple the Skid Row Cheer

There is no limit to the excitement that can build up in a Christmas celebration. In our experience this past Christmas, we discovered three levels of excitement. A few friends from Urban Encore showed up at the Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) a little before 1PM on Christmas Day. DWC provides meals, showers, and toiletries to homeless women during the day. Most shelters do not allow people to remain inside all day, so many of the women come here.

When our group showed up, we discovered that a volunteer had already brought the place into the first level of Christmas excitement by handing out sleigh-bell necklaces, Santa hats, reindeer hats, and other wearable holiday cheer. The place was packed with women sitting at tables, while the kitchen crew worked behind a counter.

We arrived before the other musicians, and someone suggested we start singing while we wait. As soon as we began many people stood to their feet and started singing and dancing along with the music. The atmosphere changed from a calmer mood to an atmosphere of excited joy. Level two had been achieved.

Soon musicians arrived from the Urban Voices Project, and they brought cajons, a guitar, and an accordion. These instruments and the extra vocal power brought the place to another level of cheer. Now we could see the people in the kitchen waving their hands back and forth as they swayed.

One woman stood out when she grabbed her sleigh-bell necklace and began singing and shaking it to the tune we were all performing. The synergy between the Downtown Women’s Center, the Urban Voices Project, Urban Encore, and the volunteer who passed out Christmas wearables led to this third level of excitement. If more people contributed to the celebration next year, perhaps we could discover another level of joy and harmony.