Thanksgiving was a bittersweet holiday for supporters of the King/Drew Medical Center after the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Nov. 24 to close the South Los Angeles hospital's trauma center despite months of community protests.

The five-member board voted 4-0 for the closure. Supervisor Yvonne Burke, who represents the South Los Angeles area where the hospital is located, abstained from voting despite her earlier opposition to the closure. But she did present an amendment -- approved by the board --- that committed the county to the goal of eventually re-opening the trauma center.

Trinitarian Father Stan Bosch --- who, as pastor of Our Lady of Victory and Sacred Heart parishes in Compton, has been working closely with community leaders to save the trauma center --- said he was very disappointed by Burke's actions.

"We've met with her three times and each time she promised to vote for keeping the center open," said Father Bosch. "And for her to then abstain, I question that. At least there could have been one voice of support."

The vote took place before a packed hall which erupted in chants of "Save King-Drew" and "No justice, no peace" immediately after the vote.

Supervisors claim that closing the trauma center is the only way to save accreditation for the hospital, which has seen a number of deaths caused by staff negligence and nursing shortages in recent years. They say the trauma center, which treats 1,800 patients annually, is draining money and manpower from the rest of the troubled hospital.

But local activists say the decision makes no sense because the trauma center is one part of the hospital that functions efficiently and is desperately needed in an area plagued by gang violence.

"I was at King-Drew last Friday night for a shooting victim who would have surely been dead if the trauma center was closed," said Father Bosch. "How many kids' lives are going to be lost because of this?"

Patients now treated at King-Drew's trauma center will be directed to a new trauma unit at the private California Hospital Medical Center in downtown Los Angeles. This unit, scheduled to open Dec. 1, is being subsidized by the county, which further irritates King-Drew supporters.

"If there is money to open a new trauma center downtown, why isn't there money to maintain the trauma center in Watts?" asked Father Bosch. "It seems to be a question of priorities. Our people are used to being slam-dunked, and this is just one more nail in the coffin of their self-worth. But we will continue to work to re-open the center."

The Associated Press contributed to this article.