PORT ANGELES — A warming center for the homeless will remain open at least one more day.
Serenity House of Clallam County opened the center at 516 E. First St. on Monday to give the homeless a place to get out of the cold during the day as a blizzard-like storm rolled through the North Olympic Peninsula.
‘Subfreezing temperatures’
Brad Collins, Serenity House deputy director of resource development, said the nonprofit organization plans to keep it open for a third straight day today because of “subfreezing temperatures.”
It will remain open Thanksgiving if needed, he said.
“People can’t survive out there in freezing temperatures,” said Collins, who is also a Port Angeles City Council member.
That’s something that a volunteer at the center, a homeless veteran who would give his name only as Guy, said he knows all too well.
“Even if you know how to survive, it’s risky,” said Guy, who stays at Serenity House’s Street Outreach Shelter.
“The only way to survive is to get out of it.”
Guy said he had visited homeless camps in and around Port Angeles on Monday and Tuesday to get the word out about the warming center.
He said many of the homeless were preoccupied with rebuilding their camps after heavy winds hit Monday evening.
Guy said that six people had used the center Monday, but he expected there would have been at least a dozen more if the wind hadn’t been high.
‘Yesterday was miserable’
“Yesterday was miserable,” he said. “Today, we’re getting a little bit of sun, but that doesn’t bode well for tonight.”
Volunteers at Serenity House’s two overnight shelters said they have seen a slight-to-no increase in clients.
The warming center’s hours are from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
To volunteer, e-mail Collins at serenityhouse.brad@gmail.com.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
