Looking for Karen Bennett

Sometimes when God opens a window, He slams a door. I just happened to have my face in the way this week.

Last Tuesday, a friend told me he had heard that my pal, Karen Bennett, had died. By the time I saw our mutual friends, aka the Friday crowd at Nick's, I had already scoured the internet for days. I found one reference to her but I couldn't find anyone who actually knew her. I left Friday night with a few more clues to work with. I lost Saturday and Sunday to working and a vicious migraine (one the worst I remember) so I re-started my search this morning.

Karen did die. In January. She was found a couple of weeks after having had a heart attack. (She had been caring for her elderly parents so we assumed that she was with them all of this time.) As I understand, she was found because her apartment was subsidized by Project H.O.M.E. and they had missed her. She wasn't just a "client"; Karen was a political champion, activist and loyal volunteer. They were the kind folks who gave me the information I needed. They also gave me her parents information and expressed how happy they were that we found THEM. Her family and the organization knew she had us but they had no clue as to "who" we were.

I also found out that on May 7th, there will be an event "Women Enpowering Women" that will be dedicated to her. She participated last year, and was her style, her personal testimonial had been the highlight.

I will be embarking upon some kind of fundraising in her name.

Thank you, Project H.O.M.E. for being staffed by such good people. Thank you, Karen, for being our pal, our photographer, our good sport; you will be missed for a very long time.

Namaste and Good Night.

(top photos courtesy of Project HOME and bottom photo by Karen, August 2006, "Nick's Annual Fishing Trip"