There has been a vigil called The Longest Night

LITTLETON — For a growing number of years in the North Country, there has been a vigil called “The Longest Night,” which in 2024 fell on Saturday, Dec. 21, the first day of winter and shortest day of the year. It coincides with National Homeless Persons Memorial Day, which remembers those who have died from being homeless. Candles are lit as luminaries, and the name of each lost person is written on the bag around the flame. Then, the names of those who have died in the past year are read, along with some of their stories written up by their family members, friends, or those who cared for them. A key organizer for the vigil in Lancaster has been Erik Becker, the housing stability director at Tri-County Community Action Program, whose region encompasses all of Coos, Grafton, and Carroll counties. As awareness of the vigil spreads, Saturday marked the first time that the towns of Littleton, Colebrook, and Conway have participated.