Kudos: Volunteers step up to run shelters during extreme cold

LEWISTON — Randy Beard has a few pictures on his cellphone with evidence of just how cold it was the weekend of Feb. 4.

The large storefront windows and glass door at the R.E.S.T. Center at 205 Main St. in Lewiston were completely frosted over, looking almost like they were designed that way. But, there were a couple of dozen people huddled inside, safe from the extreme cold and eating well, thanks to several volunteers and organizations coming together last minute.

Beard, who was homeless for about 20 years, volunteers at the center as a recovery coach and works at the adjacent Recovery Connections of Maine. He helped at the makeshift shelter for most of the weekend, one of several warming centers that were opened in Lewiston and Auburn in response to the historic cold.

“The community support was just amazing,” Beard said. “People were bringing in nonstop food, blankets and warm clothes. Just the response was beautiful. It made me feel good that the community came together like that.”

Randy Beard works Sunday afternoon at the new clothing closet in the basement of the R.E.S.T. Center at 205 Main St. in Lewiston. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Molly Whyte, the lone R.E.S.T. Center employee during the week, put in two 12-hour volunteer days to help oversee the weekend emergency shelter. This week, she was recovering from a cold, which she thinks might be the result of holding the front door closed from the freezing wind.

“The windows froze,” she said. “We were doing the best we could to keep the heat in, and it was relatively warm for the majority of the weekend.”

Whyte said a few people at nearby organizations and businesses came together to do anything they could to help after she received approval Thursday to create a warming center. She said Blue Jay Coffee brought over coffee several times, others came by to drop off food.

“You name it, we got it donated,” Whyte said. “The community shocked us.”

On Friday, as the cold weather arrived, the Lewiston Public Library released a document listing all of the resources available for the weekend.

By the time it was dark, there were already nearly two dozen people crowding the center, which stands for Recovery, Employment, Support and Training. Some planned to head to the Calvary United Methodist Church at midnight, where an overnight shelter is available each night.

Ben Burgess takes a break Sunday afternoon from working at the recording studio in the basement of the R.E.S.T. Center at 205 Main St. in Lewiston. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

The R.E.S.T. Center was not considered an overnight shelter — even though it was open overnight — so guests were not supposed to sleep on the floor. Beard said Mayor Carl Sheline came by with bagels, and stopped in at least two more times over the weekend.

Whyte said she hopes weekends like this highlight the true issues in front of local policymakers. She said there is already chatter among the homeless about stricter rules concerning overnight camping that will go into effect this spring.

At the Calvary Church, Bill Reed, a church board trustee who has been volunteering at the overnight shelter, said shelter guests over the weekend were appreciative of the resource, with many offering to help out.

“They understood, by and large, how threatening that level of cold would have been for them outside,” Reed said. “They offer a lot by way of giving back, especially considering their circumstances.”

He said now that the shelter is up and running nightly, it is seeing an overwhelming response from those who need shelter and from local individuals and organizations stepping up to help.

Randy Beard folds clothes Sunday afternoon at the new clothing closet in the basement of the R.E.S.T. Center at 205 Main St. in Lewiston. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Beard, who is in long-term addiction recovery, relocated to Lewiston last summer. He said he what keeps him going is “giving back” to others trying to recover.

“They can’t really recover until they’re personally ready,” he said, “but I just try to show them that I was as worse as you can be, and I’m doing it every day.”

Beard said the weekend highlighted the need in Lewiston and Auburn for more shelter spaces and more places available for people to go.

He said four individuals with whom he works at a nearby residential treatment program helped him at the shelter over the weekend.

“They’re trying to do their best with their own sobriety and their own living arrangements,” he said, “and they were there the whole time with me. I was really impressed with that.”

Beard took them all out for breakfast the next day.

“We were tired,” he said, “but we had fun and we laughed.”

Know someone with a deep well of unlimited public spirit? Someone who gives of their time to make their community a better place? Then nominate them for Kudos. Send their name and the place where they do their good deeds to reporter Andrew Rice at arice@sunjournal.com and we’ll do the rest.