"It's June and that means its time for the second-annual Home Run for the Homeless."

Everywhere I look I see cities doing great things for their own people experiencing homelessness. Then I go downtown and see our own homeless population being persecuted, banned, hassled, ticketed an pushed into the wilderness (or what passes for it here in Nashville) while they struggle every day just to get from one food service to another in order to keep from going hungry. It's getting increasingly difficult to reconcile the notion that Nashville is a friendly, compassionate community when I don't see that community doing much more than the bare minimum to avoid being accused of starving the homeless into leaving for opportunities elsewhere. While I'm sure there are some in the community who wish that would happen, I continue to believe that the majority of folks here would never allow such tragedy and hardship to befall their fellow human being. There are signs and indications of hope, but they are too few and way too far between. Regardless of how you feel about those who are homeless, the fact remains that those who are homeless cost cities inordinately large amounts of money and drain scarce resources from agencies that could be better using them elsewhere. Until we recognize this, I suspect we are doomed to the current band aid approach and that is just a shame, not to mention pennywise and pound foolish.

Media personalities help Home Run for Homeless

ROBERT S. CROSS / Tulsa World Tulsa World Sports Editor Mike Strain and World Staff Writer P.J. Lassek will participate in the Home Run for the Homeless at Drillers Stadium on June 19.

By DANNA SUE WALKER World Staff Writer 6/7/2008 Last Modified: 6/7/2008 2:53 AM It's June and that means its time for the second-annual Home Run for the Homeless. The celebrity softball game is set June 19 at Drillers Stadium. Gates will open at 6 p.m., and the game will begin at 7 p.m. Adult tickets are $5, and children younger than 12 are admitted free of charge. Proceeds will benefit the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless. More than 40 celebrities from the media, sports and corporate communities are expected to take part in the tournament. Included are the Tulsa World's Mike Strain and P.J. Lassek; Frank Mitchell, KTUL, channel 8; Julie Chin, KRJH, channel 2; Russ McCaskey, KJRH; Beth Burnett, KJRH; Sunny Leigh, KVOO, 98.5 FM; Jean Heatherington, KVOO; Joe Kelley, KRMG, 740 AM; Chris Wright, KOTV, channel 6; Scott Smith, KOTV; Dave Weston, KRAV, 96.5 FM; Nina Valente, KRAV; Phil Stone, KMOD, 97.5 FM; and Brent Douglas, KMOD. Sponsors for this year's event include the George Kaiser Family Foundation, Bank of Oklahoma, QuikTrip Corp., and Tulsa Drillers. Founded in 1985, the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless provides a safe, healthy environment for the homeless and opportunities for these individuals to achieve self-sufficiency. The center services an average of 400 people each day and provided care for 12,027 people last year.