Stand Down served about 2,500 people

Thursday, Oct. 30, 2003 | 8:46 a.m.

The Las Vegas Stand Down for the Homeless -- a one-day event that brings together private and public services for the down-and-out -- drew in an estimated 2,500 homeless to Cashman Center on Wednesday.

While the stand down continued until 4 p.m., coat and blanket stations were closed as early as 11 a.m. after supplies ran out. Spokesman Brian Brooks said the stand down handed out 2,000 blankets by 10:30 a.m.

Brooks added that 575 haircuts were given and more than 200 medical checks performed. Other numbers will not be calculated until next week, he said.

The crowd remained steady until early afternoon, then it started to dwindle, Brooks said.

"We had a good number of people come through," he said. " The crowd is heavy every year in the morning and early afternoon, and then it slows down. Most people left after the meal was served."

This was the 11th year for the local stand down. The event is the largest single-day of services for homeless individuals in the country.

The event gave thousands of homeless a chance to regroup through a wide range of services, including amnesties on misdemeanor charges, haircuts, pulled teeth, eye exams or job applications.