GAYLORD — While many counties are still recovering after this past week’s ice storm, one county and one community have actually come together to help a warming center provide food, heat and water to those who have been affected.
Warming shelters all across the state have taken action, as well as different food donation organizations.
Salvation Army in Cadillac took to Facebook to share that their Cheboygan County location needed assistance, and asked the public to donate food, bottled water, and basic supplies.
They aren’t alone, many locations are asking for help, but the E-Free Church, a warming center in Gaylord, is a different story.
Scott Distler, the E-Free Church Lead Pastor, says that he loves how the community comes togother, “All the organizations were here this morning, getting out there every morning to meet, to talk through what’s the next steps? What do we need to do? It’s a beautiful thing to do it that way. ”
They are even inviting people to come by, even if it is just for a bit.
Distler says “We really are trying to provide any of the immediate needs that someone has so they can come here and they can just get warmed up. There’s hot coffee. We’re serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. They can charge phones. They can take showers.”
If they would like, residents can also spend the night.
While there are only 150 cots, there are also many chairs and couches people can use.
Some people have even chosen the floors.
While clean up has made its way through the area, some homes are not doing well, like Rogue’s, who says her house has a tree leaning on it, as well as trees that fell in the yard.
With the struggle of finding food and water in the counties affected, how can those who are okay help?
Distler says “People are scared. And when they come in, just to have that smile, that encouragement, you can do that for anybody in your neighborhood. That’s huge.”
You can find a warming center closest to you by calling or texting 2-1-1, and if you are interested in donating to a specific location, contact them and follow their instructions.