Being homeless at Christmas is not all that merry when the air is frigid and warm places are scarce.
Cheyanna Dean and Michael Smith came to Salmon Arm from Alberta after Dean鈥檚 mother died and the family farm was sold.
They found a job picking strawberries and were doing fine. Until they realized reasonable rents couldn鈥檛 be found.
Not wanting to go hungry, they set up a little camp behind the Best Western.
鈥淢y husband built the most cool little abode,鈥� says Dean. 鈥淲e helped so many people to stay warm last winter and have something to eat because we could cook.鈥�
However, they have since been kicked off that land by the owners.
Although Dean is not related to other homeless people in Salmon Arm, they have become her family. They鈥檝e got each other鈥檚 backs. Tears well in her eyes when she talks about how much they mean to her. Because her heart is with them, she says she considers herself houseless, or roofless 鈥� not homeless.
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She says she鈥檚 the designated mama who puts a smile on everyone鈥檚 face.
鈥淚f I have a down day, everybody has a down day. When I woke up this morning, I鈥檓 like, yeah, I鈥檓 back. I was so happy, I had to do the happy dance.鈥�
But it can be tough to stay happy when the temperature is cold, there鈥檚 no place to live and there鈥檚 nowhere warm to go.
She and Smith stayed at the Lighthouse Emergency Shelter for the three nights prior to the interview. She said while the shelter is helpful 鈥� a place to get a warm meal, have a shower and perhaps watch TV, 鈥渨e like to be in our own little home.鈥� She said she and her husband can鈥檛 sleep together at the shelter so she doesn鈥檛 sleep well, and Smith, who has Tourette syndrome, often has bad dreams. When they鈥檙e together, she can help ease him awake.
Relaxing at the shelter can also be difficult for her with all the people and personalities, she says.
Although one of the restaurants in Salmon Arm would allow people to sit for extended periods last winter, Dean says new management, combined with bad behaviour from some people, have changed that.
鈥淭he troublemakers. The ones that are, 鈥極h, I鈥檓 only here for a few days being homeless and then I get to go home.鈥� They are the ones that screw it up for people who really are homeless.鈥�
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The night prior to the interview Smith had set up a tent in one of the stalls at the fairgrounds. Smith says a security company told him he had two hours to take it down or be arrested.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 go anywhere. It鈥檚 tough. We don鈥檛 want to be in a shelter,鈥� Dean says. 鈥淲e want to be able to smoke a joint or have a beer, have a cigarette with a friend even in the next tent. Around here, there鈥檚 so much land, but they can鈥檛 even give a little area to the homeless just to set up for the winter.鈥�
Dean said she was plagued with a drug addition but has kicked it.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want it, because it made things worse.鈥�
It鈥檚 easy for people on the street to fall into that path, she says, because it looks like an easy escape from living and feeling their situation every day.
Depression is a big problem on the street. Dean knows how important it is for people to feel they鈥檙e wanted and loved.
鈥淭o say I worry about you. To say I need to know if you鈥檙e going to be okay. Make that person feel they鈥檙e wanted.鈥�
Both Smith and Dean would like to have jobs, but Smith, who says he has a lot of training and is a journeyman plumber, points to the vicious circle.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 get a job without a house and you can鈥檛 get a house without a job.鈥�
Dean says she鈥檇 be happy with even a part-time job.
鈥淪omething to make me feel like I鈥檓 wanted again, by humanity, by the population.鈥�
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They鈥檝e heard about the affordable housing being built, but they鈥檙e not convinced it will be a fit for them.
The couple, plus a few other people nearby, say the community is not as kind to people who are homeless as it was last year.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e gotten worse, they鈥檝e gotten meaner to us. Way meaner. Last winter they were so loving and caring. And you know, I used to sit in front of No Frills if I needed propane or gas. They were wonderful. This year, you can鈥檛 even get a Merry Christmas out of anybody and they just turn their noses down at you. What did I do?鈥�
Dean dreams of having a turkey at Christmas to cook, maybe barbecue, for other people who are homeless.
鈥淢ake a little fire and you can rotisserie it. There鈥檚 so much you can do. Potatoes, just put them in tinfoil and put them in the fire. It鈥檚 the little things. The smile and a Merry Christmas. Please and thank you. Just the simplest things.鈥�
No matter what happens, Dean has a wish for the community.
鈥淢erry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May 2020 be better for everyone.鈥�
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