‘Here to help the community’
Truro Lions welcome visitors to warming centre
Beth Emery was one of many people staying home as much as possible to avoid COVID19, but when she saw a need in the community she made a big change.
She’s now volunteering at the Truro & District Lions Club warming centre.
“Beth was sitting in her living room, thinking how nice and warm she was, and then she thought about the homeless,” she said of herself.
“I thought, we have a perfectly good hall we can use. Why not open it up?”
She checked into the regulations and found there was nothing to prevent her from going forward with the plan, so she got some other Lions to join her and they went to work. They now offer socialization, cards, board games, WiFi, hot soup, coffee and tea five days a week. They even have some donated socks and gloves visitors can take. People are welcome to stop in for a hot drink and a chat, warm up if they’re out walking or their power is out, or if they have nowhere else to go.
“Right now, we’re not getting a lot of people, but the people who do come are very appreciative,” said Emery. “We’re hoping to get more people as word spreads. Anybody is welcome. Just coming somewhere like this for a break can be good for mental health.”
The warming centre volunteers connect with other organizations, such as the Truro Housing Outreach Society and The Salvation Army, to help people during cold weather. Their schedule is flexible and changes will be made as needed.
“We’re hoping more people will step forward and volunteer,” said Emery. “Most of our volunteers are Lions and we’re very lucky to have some dedicated Lions, but we’d like to get some outside people. If we get enough volunteers, we can keep this going longer.”
Food being served is purchased with Lions Club funds or provided by volunteers, so donations of food and funds are always welcome. The club’s main fundraiser is currently radio Bingo.
“We’re here to help the community,” added Emery. “We’re a service group and what better way is there to serve? I was a person who rarely went anywhere, but it’s time to help.”