WILTON — Plans are under way for a Wilton Warming Center from January through March, the Rev. Douglas Dunlap of Wilton Congregational Church said.

A planning committee, comprised of representatives from three churches of the Wilton Ecumenical Ministry Outreach and a Seniors Plus representative, are planning for the public Warming Center program based on the success of last winter’s warming center in Farmington.

Three churches, Henderson Memorial Baptist, Old South Congregational and St. Joseph, all in downtown Farmington, opened their doors two days a week from January to March to invite people of all ages in for a meal and socializing. The churches each took responsibility for hosting the warming center for one month.

“It was well received with a large number who came to them as well as a large number of volunteers. We were inspired by their success,” he said.

The Wilton Congregational Church has combined with St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and Wilton United Methodist Church to start planning Wilton’s warming center for this winter.

The group will meet Wednesday, Dec. 2, to finalize their plans, he said.

Although the Farmington concept started as one way to conserve on home fuel costs by turning down thermostats while attending the warming center, the savings became secondary to the opportunity to gather with other people in the dead of winter.

“It was a place for people to get out of the house in winter, socialize, make friends, read a book, play games or do crafts,” he said.

Wilton Congregational Church at 386 Main St. will host the center on Mondays and Thursdays in January then St. Luke’s Episcopal Church on High Street will host those days in February. The Wilton United Methodist Church will sponsor the center in March but will hold it at the new Masonic Lodge on the Bryant Road in East Wilton on Mondays and Wednesdays, he said.

SeniorsPlus will provide meals for a nominal fee at each of the warming centers that are staffed by volunteers, he said. Seniors Plus offers a meal site four days a week at the Masonic Lodge.

The centers will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. More information about the centers is expected to be released after Wednesday’s meeting, he said.

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