Is every homeless person hopeless? Camp Quioxote may become a village in the Mottman Industrial Park. Breaking the stereotypes and choosing a road toward home

If you live in the Olympia area, you may be interested to learn more about this homeless camp. It may soon become a village on county property, at the edges of Olympia and Tumwater city limits, right next to my neighborhood! 


The Olympia City Council is considering a permanent site for this camp. In the past four years, the camp has proven to be a good neighbor and has served to help several individuals find thier way off the streets, and out of the camp onto better situations.


This is to be decided on Sept 6,2011 and public written testimony is being taken until noon on Friday, August 19.  Over two hours of testimony can be heard here if you want to learn more from the public who attended Monday's hearing on the matter. 


Video of Public Hearing 8-15-11 to Zone County Property at Mottman Industrial Park to allow permanent homeless village

City brief on proposal to transform Quixote Camp to Quixote Village 


Olympian Story on Public Hearing 8-16-2011

Wikipedia on Panza and Don Quioxte-the legend and lore

Olympian Story June 27,2010


Youtube Camp Quixote


Camp Quixote website

Camp Quixote Older Website





What are the homeless made of today?   


.....old people who ran out of friends, relatives, time and money? 
.....young people looking for the thrill of freedom? 
...young people dumped or estranged from family, or who have no real family?
.....families who no longer have a home, jobs, a car?
.....middle aged people who lost their grip, or really never had one?
....mentally ill and substance abusers? 
....drug addicts, whino's?
.....old or new hippies?
.....people who failed to plan ahead or invest in others? 
...people who have found a hip way to live off the land?
....irresponsible free loaders?
....people who use our taxes, and do not pay any in? 
....people who got sick and the system either never had them, or no longer supports their needs? 
.....criminals? 
...lazy whiners? 
....unloved people? 
....con artists? 
....stupid people? 
...really unlucky chaps? 
....scammers? 
...people who buy booze at the gas station and live in the woods nearby? 
....losers? 
....socially inept people? 
....people who don't respect business owners? 
....anarchists? 
......people who want a simpler life? 


....the too many people in the cart, with not enough of us to pull it up the hill anymore?
....people who feel they cannot live in a house or follow rules or never feel safe, no matter where they are?
....people who need something much more than a roof over their head, no matter the cost?
....kids with foolish parents? 
.....children of selfish parents? 
....people who traded their time and talent for things that will not last, and continue to do so? 
.....people who lost everything before they even knew there was something worth letting go, or hanging onto? 


I do not know the answer to these questions.   But I do know that today our homeless population consists of people with as many reasons for why as there as people in this situation.  


Loss of jobs and homes, refusal to "conform", feeling entitled, being tricked or tossed out or trapped by things that hurt them over time.   Finding the end road of the slow death they have been seeking over years. Is every homeless person hopeless? 


One thing they all face everyday is "What is there left for me to do today, and where and how am I gonna be able to do that?" 


A panhandler is not always a homeless person. A homeless person is not always safe, or dangerous or dirty or hungry.  A food drive is not always going to make it all better.  And supporting the homeless does not always reduce the problem, but it is an awful good start, if that involves getting all walks of community involved.


And it seems the Homeless Camp Quioxote has begun to break the mold on what it means to be homeless in America.  They have taken the chance to take care of themselves working alongside community.  And many of them have been able to give back much in the process. 


I do wonder how this community of 40 people with 30 sleeping units would be received in my area.  We have college students as it is right by the Community College.  We have Juvenile Hall right down the street.  We have panhandlers at the Freeway exits and underpasses.  We have a bar right down the road where a lot of bikers hang out.   We have people already living in the woods, some mentally ill, some close to where they buy beer, and some it is rumored who go to the college and want to save on expenses.    


Camp Quixote could have some work ahead of them making their own brand, a stand out of their own reputation in our area, as many others, already affected by homelessness in general.  




Excellent photos and video on today's homeless from Squidoo:
Homeless in America