RE: Council sidestepping

I found your comments though suggesting our City Council is sidestepping the homelessness issue divisive and unhelpful and untrue. I was peeved to read your letter quite frankly as it suggests an us and them approach to solutions, a sort of I don't like it and what are you going to do about it has not worked in the past and will not work now. If you have something to add to solutions, bring it on!

All eyes are clearly on the ball and all ears are listening, leadership is not easy. Pointing fingers is but please don't point them at the people who care, who don't make homeless people invisible and who have engaged their hearts who are on and have taken action on "our" council.

In actual fact our Mayor and Council have hired a Social Manager to connect with charities and service providers who do the hard work on the ground; are open to meeting with all citizens who have solutions and have formed a task force towards "The Journey Home" which is chaired by Dr. Kyleen Myrah of Okanagan College and Urban Systems President. Both of whom are astute caring inclusive community and people builders and Council recently received input on the current homelessness situation in Kelowna in council chambers. Also, in actual fact, the RCMP have asked for our citizens that is constructive input, ideas and feedback.

You can stay up-to-date by following the educated reporting media who do their best to inform us and by following the kelowna webpage:

www.kelowna.ca/our-community/addressing-homelessness:

Send your constructive comments or solution oriented input to: journeyhomekelowna.ca

Anyone of us can provide solutions and who knows, with open hearts and minds a real gem of an idea could pop out of nowhere. I certainly hope so. Treating people on our streets as invisible human beings is only adding to their pain and suffering and is reactive nonsense. Say  hello and "see" them. Please and thank you.

What can we all do as a community is the right question and gets us to the right answers. Put on your thinking caps citizens! And stand up and speak up with your great solutions.

Vonnie Lavers