Community Corner
Seaman's Church Institute Thanks Volunteers
During the recent extreme cold spell, the Overnight Warming Center stayed open 10 nights and helped 39 who stayed overnight plus others.
NEWPORT, RI — During the recent severe cold weather that started around Christmas Day, the Overnight Warming Center stayed open 10 nights and helped 75 guests, according to Leslie Streuli, spokeswoman for the Seaman's Church Institute. Starting Dec, 27, the doors stayed open 24 hours.
"This extended Warming Center is unprecedented in the history of Seamen's," Streuli said. "In the past we have done no more than three to four nights, and not consecutively."
Without the volunteers and community support, the effort would not have been possible, Streuli said.
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"We had 42 volunteers participate, and serviced a total of 75 guests, 39 of whom took advantage of staying overnight. We provided 375 cups of coffee, 225 dinners, 145 breakfasts, 82 free showers and 42 loads of laundry. We also distributed coats, hats, gloves, clothing and toiletries."
Temperatures in Newport last weekend dropped to minus 15 with the wind chill.
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