WATTS aiming to expand, but needs volunteers and aid

Since it began in 2010, Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter has saved hundreds of people from freezing temperatures.

But the group’s leader said Monday that it was meant as a supplement, not a substitute, for city and county government shelters. Marion Schottelkorb, executive director of the rotating shelter organization, said local governments have a responsibility to prevent the most vulnerable residents from freezing to death.

“There is a responsibility. It’s just not recognized at this time,” she said after a meeting at Handley Library that aimed to increase community support for the group known as WATTS. “I don’t think WATTS was ever intended to be a substitute. WATTS ministry was born out of the need because it wasn’t happening anywhere else and people were freezing in the streets.”

Kris Tierney, Frederick County administrator, couldn’t be reached after the Monday night meeting, but Lynn Miller, Winchester emergency management coordinator, said the city would open a temporary emergency shelter if needed.

Miller said the Active Learning Center at Jim Barnett Park, which could accommodate 200 to 300 people, would be used. Usage could occur during extremely frigid weather, a widespread power outage, a large fire or during a large hazardous materials release. Miller, hired in 1971, said the city has opened emergency shelters about six times since 1980, although he couldn’t remember the last time.

He said a shelter wasn’t opened during the cold spell in the last week of December and first week of January when temperatures sometimes dropped into single digits because there wasn’t enough demand. He said the needs of five or six people who sought shelter were addressed by the Winchester office of the Virginia Department of Social Services.

“If there is a demand, we’re going to do the best we can to take care of the people in our community. That’s why we’re here,” Miller said. “We’re certainly going to do everything that we can to take care of all the people in our community.”

It is unclear how many homeless people there are in Fredrick County and Winchester, but there are 115 emergency spots in the area. WATTS provides 35 beds. The Salvation Army provides 48 and the Winchester Rescue Mission provides 32.

WATTS, which served about 95 people during the winter of 2016-17, operates from November through March at 17 churches and three Ruritan National Clubs, including the Clarke County Ruritan Fairgrounds.

Each shelter houses people for a week, and the program runs 20 weeks. However, Schottelkorb told the approximately 90 people at the meeting that WATTS, a nonprofit group, operates year-round. It has a $134,000 annual budget and Schottelkorb is the only paid employee.

She said the group needs to do a better job of promoting itself to recruit more volunteers. Schottelkorb noted volunteers don’t have to belong to a church or organized religion to participate and are desperately needed.

“We need you year-round. We have opportunities for you year-round,” she said. “And all of those needs and opportunities are very, very important if we are going to continue what we do well: save lives.”