Warming center closing early this week

ROSEBURG, Ore. – The Roseburg Warming Center will close one day early – ending services after breakfast Friday, Feb. 17.

The warming center, which is housed inside the Roseburg Senior Center at 1614 SE Stephens St., will open tonight, but not tomorrow night as previously planned, said warming center operator Kimetha Stallings, founder of Onward Roseburg. She added that she needs to prepare to reopen next week when temperatures are expected to drop again.

Volunteers can still sign up for an overnight shift tonight or the Friday morning shift at signupgenius.com: https://bit.ly/3lw0Kk2. Stallings will be seeking volunteers to help with laundry on two upcoming afternoons and to open the overnight shelter next week. Please check Onward Roseburg’s Warming Center Facebook page to volunteer to help with laundry. Warming center volunteers who’d like to help out next week can sign up here once the opening is announced: https://bit.ly/3lw0Kk2.

Everyone in need of temporary overnight shelter tonight will be welcome at the center. Check-in begins at 6 p.m. with 60 cots available for guests and volunteers.

A free senior center shuttle will make a circuit around town to pick up guests starting about 5:30 p.m. and operate again in the morning. But individuals can arrive any time during the night and stay until 8 a.m. A cot, blanket and pillow plus hot dinner and breakfast are provided.

The City may help pay operating costs if needed. Also, the Roseburg Rescue Mission offers overnight shelter at 752 SE Pine St. all year.

The City’s Severe Event Shelter Policy, Resolution No. 2020-22, provides operational standards for organizations seeking City approval to open a temporary emergency shelter in buildings not designated as residential occupancy. Those operational standards include allowing a warming shelter to open during severe weather:

• on nights when the low temperatures are predicted to be 30 degrees Fahrenheit or less;

• or when low temperatures are forecasted to be 32 degrees Fahrenheit or less with additional factors that could increase a person’s risk of exposure to cold such as precipitation, wind, fog and sustained low temperatures.