Springfield celebrates formal opening of warming shelter

A belated ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Springfield Warming Shelter took place Wednesday with religious and business leaders attending.
http://eagletimes.villagesoup.com/p/springfield-celebrates-formal-opening-of-warming-shelter/1157845

Springfield celebrates formal opening of warming shelter By CHRIS GAROFOLO | Mar 27, 2014 Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on print More Sharing Services 3 Photo by: Chris Garofolo Rev. Benton Monk, center with scissors, cuts the ribbon Wednesday during a belated opening of the Springfield Warming Shelter with religious and business leaders. The shelter is located in the North Springfield Baptist Church. SPRINGFIELD — More than two months after the Springfield Warming Shelter opened its doors, the regional chamber of commerce held a belated ribbon cutting ceremony to welcome the facility into town. A dozen members of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce, many serving on the shelter’s board of directors, attended Wednesday afternoon at the North Springfield Baptist Church to tour the space and speak with religious leaders on their efforts. The Wednesday tour offered the new chamber director, Jenevieve Johnson, a chance to formally welcome the shelter into Springfield. George Keeler, pastor at the Baptist church, said he offered to have the shelter in the basement, where it is most cost effective. Funding for the facility came from more than 15 founding contributors and multiple anonymous grants. Roughly $12,000 was utilized to turn the Baptist church basement into a safe haven. “The best part is knowing that [people] have a warm place to stay so there’s not people outside freezing to death,” Keeler said. “That is a very real concern, I’d hate to have that on my conscience if we didn’t give them a warm place to stay just because we didn’t get around to it.” Since opening Jan. 17, at least 16 different people have stayed overnight at the shelter. Keeler said they average three or four nightly and have maxed out about four times. It will remain open until April 16, unless the chilly winter weather continues later into springtime. The warming shelter is made up of two rooms: a male room with four beds and a female room with three. Forty-four volunteers currently help with the overnight hours. Bus schedules are taped to the wall alongside a list of places to receive a free meal in town. Signs asking guests to wash down their beds after use are posted as well. Rev. Benton Monk of the Springfield Assembly of God, who serves as the chairman of the shelter committee, said the main goal of the facility is to help transition needy residents into housing units. The committee, using many of the regional social service agencies, has helped steer three individuals into apartments to date. “Our whole idea is to transition them up. We don’t want people to have to stay here all season long, in fact we hope that as soon as they can find a place to stay and we can start setting them up with different agencies that they can hopefully find that permanent housing,” Monk said. “It’s nice to know we’re making a difference.” • The Springfield Warming Shelter is located at 69 Main St. in North Springfield. Organizers are always looking for additional volunteers and supplies (such as linens and blankets). To volunteer or donate to the shelter, contact Keeler at (802) 886-8107.