1. Vol. 40, No. 05 Section 01 Tallahassee, Florida Jan. 30 - Feb. 5, 2014
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Tallahassee Bears Down in Cold Weather
By Patrice Rush
Outlook Writer
For the past few
days the Big Bend
area has experi-
enced record - low
temperatures in the
30’s and 40’s with
windchills in the
upper teens.
Ron Block, a me-
teorologist at the
National Weather
Service, says that
the next couple of
days will remain
the same. He ad-
vises that anytime
the weather is this
extreme, everyone
should be properly
dressed and seek
warm shelter.
“With these
weather conditions
no one should be
out in the cold. All
plants should be
brought in and any-
one needing a warm
place to stay should
report to The Shel-
ter.”
Tallahassee and
Leon County offi-
cials have prepared
emergency shelters
for the homeless
and area residents
any time the tem-
perature has dipped
near freezing. Dur-
ing the month of
January, the cold
night shelter has
been open seven
times to accommo-
date those in need
of getting out of the
cold.
Jacob Reiter, an
executive director
at The Shelter, says
that on cold nights,
with temperatures
reaching 35 degrees
and below, they
prepare by bringing
in extra staff and ar-
ranging transporta-
tion to the alternate
shelter on Lake
Bradford Road.
“We try to fit
as many people
into the shelter as
we can,” said Re-
iter. “And whatever
overflow we have
we send them to
the temporary cold
night shelter at Ja-
cob Chapel Baptist
Church. The cold
night shelter is open
to men only. Wom-
en and families with
children are advised
to proceed to The
Shelter.”
Anytime temper-
atures are forecast
to drop below 35
degrees for three
or more hours, the
church will open its
doors at 9 p.m. and
will remain open
overnight, closing
the following morn-
ing at 7 a.m. Walk-
ins at the cold night
shelter will be pro-
hibited.
The Capital
Area Chapter of
the American Red
Cross will provide
warm blankets and
cots for the resi-
dents.
“I believe that the
city has gone over
and beyond this
week for me and
my kids,” said Lynn
Collier, a resident
at the shelter. “We
were able to sleep
peacefully here at
the Shelter.”
For more infor-
mation on volunteer
opportunities at the
temporary shelter
location, or to make
donations of food,
towels, and other
supplies, please call
The Shelter at (850)
224-8448 or 2-1-1
Big Bend by dialing
2-1-1 or (850) 617-
6333.