Warming center to open Monday night

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Onward Roseburg is seeking volunteers to help open the Roseburg Warming Center from Monday night, Feb. 13, through Thursday morning, Feb. 16.

Everyone in need of temporary overnight shelter on especially cold winter nights will be welcome at the center housed in the Roseburg Senior Center, 1614 SE Stephens St., said warming center operator Kimetha Stallings, founder of Onward Roseburg. She will watch the weather to consider extending the opening to Thursday and Friday nights.

National Weather Service currently predicts an overnight low of around 33 degrees Monday with rain before 10 p.m., then rain and/or snow with snow level lowering to 500 feet after midnight. Lows of 22 to 24 are predicted for Tuesday and Wednesday.

“These are dangerous conditions. Onward appreciates everyone in the community who supports the warming center’s efforts,” Stallings said.

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.

Volunteers can sign up at signupgenius.com at https://bit.ly/3WFK2ve.

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.