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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/1kQTPM.St.138.jpeg|414Roger Cornett (left) talks to Tommy, a homeless man helping relocate other campers who had been kicked off a piece of property in Hickory recently. Some property owners are tolerant of the homeless living on their land, as long as they don't pose a nuisance. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/V0qDs.St.138.jpeg|414Roger Cornett walks through a camp that is about to be moved, the land owner decided he could not suffer the liability of having people live on his land. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/nLsqH.St.138.jpeg|393Roger Cornett stops by a recently abandoned camp in Hickory, one that had been occupied by a veteran. Growing homeless populations strain existing camps, and if trouble erupts, police are sometimes called in to break up them up. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/V4SH6.St.138.jpeg|414At an abandoned camp, a pile of trash and some useful items is all that remains. This camp was in a wooded area near I-40 in Hickory. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/N1WBG.St.138.jpeg|418Roger Cornett carries a bag of items to the Sawyer twins, brothers living in the woods near Newton. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/sTnJB.St.138.jpeg|4146/12/2012 - Roger Cornett pays a visit to the Sawyer twins, Steve (left) and Stu (center), at their camp near Newton. The brothers have been homeless for about two years, and were sleeping on blankets on the ground before the Open Door project set them up with a tent. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/rVnXu.St.138.jpeg|4146/12/2012 - Roger Cornett pays a visit to the Sawyer twins, Steve (left) and Stu (center), at their camp near Newton. The brothers have been homeless for about two years, and were sleeping on blankets on the ground before the Open Door project set them up with a tent. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/kniLy.St.138.jpeg|4186/21/2012 - Roger Cornett delivers a container of citronella oil to Stu and Steve Sawyer, who live in an area with heavy mosquitos. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/YeTBF.St.138.jpeg|414Steve Sawyer brings a new tent out of the old one he and his twin brother Stu share in the woods near Newton. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/SzYMC.St.138.jpeg|414Steve (right) and Stu (left) Sawyer, with their dog Rollie, sit on cinder blocks outside their tent near Newton. The brothers have been homeless for about two years, and were sleeping on blankets on the ground before the Open Door project set them up with a tent. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/17AFYk.St.138.jpeg|4146/12/2012 - Roger Cornett gets a hug from the Sawyer twins, Steve and Stu, at their camp near Newton. The brothers have been homeless for about two years, and were sleeping on blankets on the ground before the Open Door project set them up with a tent. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/AFUb0.St.138.jpeg|418Roger Cornett waits with with Sue Griffin at the Catawba County jail in Newton, where her boyfriend, Timothy McCracken, was held for two days for panhandling. Griffin was unable to afford bail, so Cornett secured his release into his custody in lieu of bail. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/HSnoo.St.138.jpeg|331Roger Cornett (right) walks with Sue Griffin and her boyfriend Timothy McCracken, after his release from jail for panhandling. When he was in jail, and Griffin was alone, other homeless raided their camp, stealing all their food and ruining their tent. Open Door Homeless Relief replaced most of it. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/dc4pk.St.138.jpeg|4145/1/2012 - Open Door volunteer Dorothy Edwards (right) distributes items to homeless and transients during one of the bi-weekly programs at Grace House in Hickory. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/JORcU.St.138.jpeg|4725/1/2012 - Homeless men and women pick up needed items from Open Door Baptist Relief Project's program at Grace House in Hickory. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/a5ZyP.St.138.jpeg|3726/1/2012 - Open Door Baptist vounteers (L to R) Dorothy Edwards, Phil Williams, Dale Teague, and Wanda Teague sort jeans to distribute to homeless and transients at Grace House, a day home for the homeless in Hickory. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/3Afrm.St.138.jpeg|4186/1/2012 - Roger Cornett currently works from the pastors office of Open Door Baptist church. The room is piled high with camping gear and other necessities. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/iPPXv.St.138.jpeg|4146/1/2012 - Roger Cornett and volunteers from the Open Door Baptist Homeless Relief Project sort goods to distribute to homeless and transients at Grace House, a day home for the homeless in Hickory. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/1qlLLM.St.138.jpeg|413Roger Cornett speaks with a homeless woman confined to a wheelchair at one of the Open Door Baptist Homeless Relief programs at Grace House in Hickory. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/1mE2OQ.St.138.jpeg|415Roger Cornett started helping the homeless by distributing heaters and propane to those living in the woods. It is still the basis of his ministry, "We don't want anyone dying from the cold" he says. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/4ChkE.St.138.jpeg|433Roger Cornett started helping the homeless by distributing heaters and propane to those living in the woods. Other items like brooms and trash bags help the homeless keep their camps clean, and off law enforcement radar. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/6TIgm.St.138.jpeg|428Roger Cornett distributes tents and sleeping bags to those homeless living in the woods. He keeps an eye open for deals and sales at local department stores, and buys them himself. Some local churches donate supplies from time to time. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/1dS0ju.St.138.jpeg|413Roger Cornett distributes tents and sleeping bags to those homeless living in the woods. He keeps an eye open for deals and sales at local department stores, and buys them himself. Some local churches donate supplies from time to time. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/ud2Ui.St.138.jpeg|4186/8/2012 - Pregnant and living in poverty, a young woman finds some needed items at the Open Door Baptist Homeless Relief distribution program at Grace House. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/NcCue.St.138.jpeg|4176/8/2012 - Volunteers from Open Door write down lists of things needed by the homeless they serve. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/14SRUO.St.138.jpeg|4186/8/2012 - Homeless women look through clothing at a recent program by Open Door at Grace House. While Open Door primarily serves the homeless, any one with a real need will be served by the project. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/Aa21k.St.138.jpeg|4146/8/2012 - Homeless people gather at the Open Door Baptist Homeless Relief distribution program at Grace House. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/1gkNJ7.St.138.jpeg|4956/8/2012 - It is not a staple, but cigarettes are routinely distributed at the Open Door Baptist Homeless Relief distribution program at Grace House. A smoke can help with hunger pangs, and stress. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/De2fz.St.138.jpeg|4146/8/2012 - Timothy McCracken tries on new shoes he received from the Open Door project. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/02/onnzk.St.138.jpeg|4146/8/2012 - Clean carpet samples or remnants can help make a camp site more livable, and are common items at Open Door Baptist Homeless Relief distribution programs at Grace House. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/01/16EUcI.St.138.jpeg|414Volunteers from Open Door write down lists of things needed by the homeless they serve. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/01/r1mG9.St.138.jpeg|417Sidewalk Louie waits to pick up some items at the Open Door Baptist Homeless Relief distribution program at Grace House. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/01/LTyLf.St.138.jpeg|434Sidewalk Louie bags up items he received from the Open Door Baptist Homeless Relief Program at Grace House in Hickory. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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http://media.charlotteobserver.com/smedia/2012/11/25/17/01/m8SZL.St.138.jpeg|383Roger Cornett takes a call from a volunteer in the basement of Open Door Baptist Church. The caller has found a deal on tents. JEFF WILLHELM - jwillhelm@charlotteobserver.com
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