BELLOWS FALLS — The Greater Falls Warming Shelter will host a community meeting at its new location at 83 Westminster St. on Thursday, Oct. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m.
The public is invited to tour the shelter, ask questions and learn about volunteer opportunities. Pizza and beverages will be served.
The GFWS steering committee hopes to open for its second winter season Nov. 15 in its new location in the basement of the Athens Pizza building. Volunteers are needed overnight in two or three shifts, but are also needed to bring in meals and food, help with outreach to the community, work on fundraising and assist in building needs such as cleaning and making necessary changes to the space. Volunteer training is provided.
“We want to get the word out to the community that we are a resource that needs their help to make the center run,” said Louise Luring, chair of the warming shelter committee. “There are lots of way folks can help, and not just with volunteering overnight, although that is our greatest need and the most direct way to help.”
The shelter is also accepting applications for the part-time, temporary positions of site manager and coordinator of volunteers.
In its first year, the center served 44 individuals for 371 bed nights during the 93 nights it was open. More than 75 volunteers stayed overnight at the shelter or provided some kind of support such as laundering, cleaning, donating furniture, providing supplies or helping with the fundraising concert. Monetary contributions to the shelter may be sent to the shelter's fiscal agent, Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA), at 91 Buck Dr., Westminster, VT 05158.
Anyone who would like to volunteer in any capacity and is unable to attend the meeting is asked to contact the steering committee at [email protected].
Members of the steering committee and their affiliations are Pat Burke and Susan Howes, SEVCA; Maggie Kelly, Chroma Technology; Bianca Fernandez Barry, Youth Services; Luring, Our Place Drop-in Center; Ann DiBernardo, Town of Rockingham; Darlene Kelly, Rockingham Area Community Land Trust; Barbara Ternes, Parks Place; and the Rev. Telos Whitfield, Walpole (N.H.) Unitarian Church and First Universalist Parish, Chester.