Like the final score of a ball game, the most important dimension in the annual community ritual of counting the size of the homeless population is the number itself.

That will have to wait, probably for months, says Dr. Ira Diamond, chair of the Culver City Homelessness Committee.

Community totals from the 84 cities in Los Angeles County pass through a complex food chain, moving at a deliberate pace.

“The data that comes from the homeless count are really important,” Dr. Diamond said, “because it shows the amount of homeless in a specific area. This translates into very necessary resources that will be directed to each locale. Basically, it ends up helping the homeless.”

He wanted to talk about the capacity-plus number of 75 volunteers who turned out last Wednesday evening at the Senior Center.

And the supporting cast – his six fellow members on the Homelessness Committee, Fred Puza, Karlo Silbiger, Vice Chair Evlynne Householder, Deborah Wallace, Kimberly Gibson and Alex Fisch.

Faces of the vendors also were familiar – Sorrento Market, Tito’s Tacos, Copenhagen Bakery and Starbucks.

Dr. Diamond raved about community enthusiasm for the project of counting the Culver City homeless.

“We had more volunteers than we had expected, and many different groups participated, too,” he said.

To what does Dr. Diamond attribute the large turnout?

“At first,” he said, “I was wondering if it was just Culver City. Our count draws a tremendous cross-section of our community, from members of city government to social clubs to religious organizations to neighborhood watches – such a variety.”

(To be continued)