30
Wednesday, January 11, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
SHELTER: Many people
rallied to make vital
service happen
Continued from page 3
several years. Shuler is a
member of the shelter steering
committee, is now providing
meals for the shelter, and has
opened her home to the first
foster-dog.
Dawn Cooper of Sisters
Family Access Network has
been working tirelessly for
years to improve conditions
for those who find themselves
without secure housing. She
has the closest relationship
with those who are lacking
safe housing.
Sharlene Weed, executive
director of the local chapter
of Habitat for Humanity, is no
stranger to the lack of afford-
able housing in Sisters and
called the first meeting back
in October, including Cooper,
Shuler, Binks, Weed, and
George Myers, who is a board
member for the Bethlehem
Inn in Bend. It was his
encouragement of Weed that
prompted her to convene that
first meeting.
“With cold weather com-
ing, we really wanted to see
what resources we could find
to help,” said Weed. “We
were first mostly focused on
the families with children ….
finding housing.”
The shelter idea was also
in the mix, while Cooper
worked on finding housing
for the families. Donations of
tents, sleeping bags, and other
outdoor gear were collected
and dispensed by Habitat
ReStore.
Myers volunteered to call
church representatives as well
as people from Shepherd’s
House and Bethlehem Inn
in Bend to come to the next
meeting.
At the second meeting,
Lois Kaping of Westside
Church, Pastor Ron Gregg
of Shepherd of the Hills
Lutheran Church, and
Michael Black from VAST
Church came. It was decided
the church representatives
would explore the cold-
weather shelter idea.
Kaping is one of the lead
volunteers for her church’s
Out West Realty
Bread of Life food pantry.
“Our church was aware of
the need for a cold-weather
shelter but because of the size
of the project, knew it would
need to be an effort from a
group larger than just us,”
Kaping said.
“As things developed,
someone had to take leader-
ship. Lois and I were willing
to be co-chairs,” Gregg said.
Kaping and Gregg have
been involved with organiz-
ing and leading the effort.
Recently, Gregg has secured
legal documents to register
“Sisters Warming Shelter”
with the IRS and get an EIN
number so people can get tax
deductions for contributions.
Attorney Roger Nelson of
Sisters has been providing
free legal help in securing the
appropriate documents.
Gregg has spoken about
the shelter at Rotary and will
speak to Kiwanis in February.
Kaping attended a meeting at
Shepherd’s House and their
representatives came to the
third meeting and helped to
elucidate how the shelter was
possible.
According to Weed,
“Really, Lois is the champion.
Just dogged in making the
shelter happen and in short
order — getting Westside
to take the risk of being the
first host and organizing
everything.”
Binks reported that Kaping
took on a huge job deal-
ing with the logistics of the
shelter, the church, volun-
teer background-checks, the
church’s insurance company,
the fire marshal, interviews,
and more.
“No one could have pulled
this off on their own, that is
for sure,” said Binks.
Weed also pointed to
Gregg’s support as co-chair
and Jennifer Seher setting
up and managing the online
volunteer sign-up site. Binks’
duties have included the dona-
tion drive, community out-
reach, volunteer recruitment,
and coordination through the
Facebook page.
Meetings grew from the
original five people, to 12,
to 20. The fourth and fifth
meetings were announced to
the public and more than 60
people showed up. There is a
meeting on Thursday, January
12, 4 to 5 p.m. at Westside
Church, and the public is
invited. The Facebook page
has almost 500 followers
and all but three shifts in
January are fully staffed. The
February page is now avail-
able for signups.
“There were many indi-
viduals working behind the
scenes, helping the shelter
to open the doors,” reported
Binks. “I have never seen
such an amazing community
effort! We could not have
done this without everyone.”
A Partnership
Beyond Your
Expectations
“We had two guests the
first night and three guests
the second night, with a
fourth person who ate dinner
and then left for the night,”
reported Kaping. Since then
the number of guests has
grown to five and then nine.
“The volunteers and meal
providers are doing an amaz-
ing job. It’s been great to
watch it all come together,”
shared Kaping.
Many homeless people
have dogs that are their con-
stant companions and secu-
rity for themselves and their
camp. The facilities aren’t
equipped to handle having
the dogs on site and it very
quickly became apparent that
a solution for caring for the
dogs was imperative, while
their owners availed them-
selves of the warmth, safety
and comfort of the shelter.
Binks undertook the task
of finding foster homes to
look after the dogs tempo-
rarily. At last report, three
dogs were safely ensconced
in warm surroundings with
plenty of food and love. These
dogs suffer from being out in
the cold just like their owners
do. If you are willing to foster
a dog, please leave a message
on the Sisters Cold Weather
Shelter Facebook page for
Nancy Whitlatch, who is in
charge of doggie fosters.
The same is true if you
haven’t yet volunteered to
prepare a meal or host a
shift at the shelter. From the
Facebook page there is a link
to the signup page.
For January, the shel-
ter is located at Westside
Church at 442 Trinity Way.
Sisters Community Church
on Highway 242 west of
town will house the shelter
for February. The search is
still on for a host facility for
March.
Last Sunday, word was
received of a very gener-
ous $2,000 donation from a
Sisters resident. Cash dona-
tions of any amount are
always welcome and help
make the mission of the shel-
ter possible.
The shelter is open to any-
one in need of a warm, safe
place overnight when the
outside temperature is below
32 degrees. Even if your elec-
tricity goes out, you are wel-
come for the night. Guests
may check in between 6 and
10 p.m.
According to a post on
the shelter’s Facebook page,
“The Sisters Cold Weather
Shelter is a success because
of all of you!!! And, success
in this case means so much…
Nine people were warm, safe
and well-fed last night. Three
dogs were safe and cared
for. Lives are being saved,
humanity is filling our hearts,
and this community grows,
together.”
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