smf
12-26-2002, 02:00 AM
With all the stories of Enron, WorldCom, etc, it's nice to see something great like this.
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http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/stories/122502dnmetgift.a3ba1.html
Room in his heart: Man gives homeless night at inn
Personal charity lets about 150 go 'first class' at downtown Hyatt
12/25/2002
By TIM WYATT / The Dallas Morning News
This Christmas, there was room at the inn.
Dutch Hancock, R.J. Reneau, Sakandra Young and about 150 other homeless people got the chance to spend Tuesday night in the comfy warmth of the downtown Hyatt Regency Dallas at Reunion, courtesy of an unlikely and unsung benefactor named Mark Pfeiffer.
Mr. Pfeiffer, who said he makes a modest income distributing fliers on car windshields, said he spent about $7,000 of his own money to book 70 rooms at the hotel and provide dinner and entertainment for homeless people he encountered at soup kitchens or wandering the frigid streets.
"Come see me Christmas morning, I'll definitely be broke," Mr. Pfeiffer said Tuesday. Nevertheless, he said, it's worth every penny.
"All through the year these people are treated like second- or third- or fourth-rate citizens," he said. "But not tonight. For one day, they're going to get first-class treatment."
Mr. Pfeiffer, 50, said this is the sixth year that his unincorporated charity, the Homey Syndicate, has paid to provide lodging to homeless people on Christmas Eve. Hyatt officials said he has booked rooms there for at least three years.
Mr. Reneau, 48, said he spent Christmas Eve 2001 in a shelter, though he had heard rumors of Mr. Pfeiffer's generosity.
"This year, it's nice to get a break from the shelter," he said, watching a movie on the large color television in the room he shared with Mr. Hancock. "My bed's normally a cot."
Hyatt spokeswoman Priscilla Hagstrom said the hotel takes no credit for the event.
"It's all Mark's doing, and it's just amazing," she said. "He's brought the true meaning of Christmas to the forefront. We just gave him a nice discount rate."
Mr. Pfeiffer said he began handing out invitations Sunday. His guests converged on the hotel Tuesday morning, some wheeling shopping carts before them.
Most of the 70 rooms were filled by 9 a.m., though Mr. Pfeiffer was still scouring the streets a few hours later, trying to fill the last dozen rooms.
He said most of his efforts to find donors have flopped, though he does get some help.
The Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe had welcomed the group to one of its Christmas Eve services. Adventure Express, a local tour bus company, provided buses for a tour of Christmas lights.
On Christmas Day, the group will go to Lakewood Theater owner Kevin McKeague's annual meal, a toy giveaway and musical entertainment.
But it's definitely a seat-of-the-pants operation.
Volunteers failed to show up Tuesday to stuff stockings, so Mr. Pfeiffer said he'd have to find time to do it. A restaurant that was supposed to provide lunch was another no-show – though most of Mr. Pfeiffer's guests seemed content to return to their rooms and while away the hours watching cable TV.
In the afternoon, Mr. Pfeiffer distributed free clothing.
The evening's program included dinner at a Golden Corral restaurant – paid for by Mr. Pfeiffer – as well as the church service and tour of lights.
At the restaurant, Mr. Pfeiffer's guests stopped by his table to thank him for his generosity.
Stanley Turner, 46, said he has been on the streets a couple of months.
"I ain't got no money in my pocket, but I had a nice meal, I'm gonna sleep in a warm bed, take a warm shower whenever I want and watch some TV. I've been blessed," he said.
Gwyn Darnell Jr., who said he has been homeless for two years, said Mr. Pfeiffer gave him one of the invitations when he saw him walking outside.
"I need a break. I've been outside for the last two years," he said. "It's pretty good."
Mr. Pfeiffer, who said he lives in an apartment in Lakewood, said he is unmarried and has no family in the area with which to spend Christmas.
He said some homeless shelter operators may disapprove of his unorthodox efforts, but he doesn't mind.
"I don't care what anybody says," he said. "Most shelters kick ... [their clients] out on Christmas morning, and that just doesn't seem right. Tomorrow they get to sleep late."
Mr. Pfeiffer's virtual anonymity has left ample room for legends to attach to his charitable deeds. In the space of a few hours Tuesday, various people confided that the whole affair was bankrolled by clothier Tommy Hilfiger, that it was the work of a well-to-do Fort Worth lawyer and that it was conceived as a tribute to a man named Mark Pfeiffer, who froze to death on the streets of Dallas in 1996.
Mr. Hancock, who has been homeless for two years, said he spent last Christmas at a friend's house after serving a short stint in jail.
He said he heard about the free hotel rooms Monday night from another man at a homeless shelter and couldn't believe his ears.
Tuesday morning, Mr. Pfeiffer, wearing a red cap and mismatched jogging suit, handed him an invitation outside the Stewpot, a downtown soup kitchen.
"At first I thought it might be a hoax, but it just turned out to be a very nice thing for him to do," Mr. Hancock said. "I'm grateful; I truly am. I didn't know there were kind people like this in Dallas."
Ms. Young said this is the fourth year she had taken Mr. Pfeiffer up on his offer. She had nothing but praise for him.
"He's a real good person to help homeless people out," Ms. Young said. "I appreciate everything he's done for us this Christmas, because it's pretty cold outside right now."
Ms. Young said she has some family in town, but she won't be able to visit with them or see her children, who are in the care of relatives.
"Please let them know I wish them a Merry Christmas," she said. "And thank Mark for me."
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http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/stories/122502dnmetgift.a3ba1.html
Room in his heart: Man gives homeless night at inn
Personal charity lets about 150 go 'first class' at downtown Hyatt
12/25/2002
By TIM WYATT / The Dallas Morning News
This Christmas, there was room at the inn.
Dutch Hancock, R.J. Reneau, Sakandra Young and about 150 other homeless people got the chance to spend Tuesday night in the comfy warmth of the downtown Hyatt Regency Dallas at Reunion, courtesy of an unlikely and unsung benefactor named Mark Pfeiffer.
Mr. Pfeiffer, who said he makes a modest income distributing fliers on car windshields, said he spent about $7,000 of his own money to book 70 rooms at the hotel and provide dinner and entertainment for homeless people he encountered at soup kitchens or wandering the frigid streets.
"Come see me Christmas morning, I'll definitely be broke," Mr. Pfeiffer said Tuesday. Nevertheless, he said, it's worth every penny.
"All through the year these people are treated like second- or third- or fourth-rate citizens," he said. "But not tonight. For one day, they're going to get first-class treatment."
Mr. Pfeiffer, 50, said this is the sixth year that his unincorporated charity, the Homey Syndicate, has paid to provide lodging to homeless people on Christmas Eve. Hyatt officials said he has booked rooms there for at least three years.
Mr. Reneau, 48, said he spent Christmas Eve 2001 in a shelter, though he had heard rumors of Mr. Pfeiffer's generosity.
"This year, it's nice to get a break from the shelter," he said, watching a movie on the large color television in the room he shared with Mr. Hancock. "My bed's normally a cot."
Hyatt spokeswoman Priscilla Hagstrom said the hotel takes no credit for the event.
"It's all Mark's doing, and it's just amazing," she said. "He's brought the true meaning of Christmas to the forefront. We just gave him a nice discount rate."
Mr. Pfeiffer said he began handing out invitations Sunday. His guests converged on the hotel Tuesday morning, some wheeling shopping carts before them.
Most of the 70 rooms were filled by 9 a.m., though Mr. Pfeiffer was still scouring the streets a few hours later, trying to fill the last dozen rooms.
He said most of his efforts to find donors have flopped, though he does get some help.
The Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe had welcomed the group to one of its Christmas Eve services. Adventure Express, a local tour bus company, provided buses for a tour of Christmas lights.
On Christmas Day, the group will go to Lakewood Theater owner Kevin McKeague's annual meal, a toy giveaway and musical entertainment.
But it's definitely a seat-of-the-pants operation.
Volunteers failed to show up Tuesday to stuff stockings, so Mr. Pfeiffer said he'd have to find time to do it. A restaurant that was supposed to provide lunch was another no-show – though most of Mr. Pfeiffer's guests seemed content to return to their rooms and while away the hours watching cable TV.
In the afternoon, Mr. Pfeiffer distributed free clothing.
The evening's program included dinner at a Golden Corral restaurant – paid for by Mr. Pfeiffer – as well as the church service and tour of lights.
At the restaurant, Mr. Pfeiffer's guests stopped by his table to thank him for his generosity.
Stanley Turner, 46, said he has been on the streets a couple of months.
"I ain't got no money in my pocket, but I had a nice meal, I'm gonna sleep in a warm bed, take a warm shower whenever I want and watch some TV. I've been blessed," he said.
Gwyn Darnell Jr., who said he has been homeless for two years, said Mr. Pfeiffer gave him one of the invitations when he saw him walking outside.
"I need a break. I've been outside for the last two years," he said. "It's pretty good."
Mr. Pfeiffer, who said he lives in an apartment in Lakewood, said he is unmarried and has no family in the area with which to spend Christmas.
He said some homeless shelter operators may disapprove of his unorthodox efforts, but he doesn't mind.
"I don't care what anybody says," he said. "Most shelters kick ... [their clients] out on Christmas morning, and that just doesn't seem right. Tomorrow they get to sleep late."
Mr. Pfeiffer's virtual anonymity has left ample room for legends to attach to his charitable deeds. In the space of a few hours Tuesday, various people confided that the whole affair was bankrolled by clothier Tommy Hilfiger, that it was the work of a well-to-do Fort Worth lawyer and that it was conceived as a tribute to a man named Mark Pfeiffer, who froze to death on the streets of Dallas in 1996.
Mr. Hancock, who has been homeless for two years, said he spent last Christmas at a friend's house after serving a short stint in jail.
He said he heard about the free hotel rooms Monday night from another man at a homeless shelter and couldn't believe his ears.
Tuesday morning, Mr. Pfeiffer, wearing a red cap and mismatched jogging suit, handed him an invitation outside the Stewpot, a downtown soup kitchen.
"At first I thought it might be a hoax, but it just turned out to be a very nice thing for him to do," Mr. Hancock said. "I'm grateful; I truly am. I didn't know there were kind people like this in Dallas."
Ms. Young said this is the fourth year she had taken Mr. Pfeiffer up on his offer. She had nothing but praise for him.
"He's a real good person to help homeless people out," Ms. Young said. "I appreciate everything he's done for us this Christmas, because it's pretty cold outside right now."
Ms. Young said she has some family in town, but she won't be able to visit with them or see her children, who are in the care of relatives.
"Please let them know I wish them a Merry Christmas," she said. "And thank Mark for me."