WINCHESTER — The legacy of Marion Schottelkorb loomed large Saturday night at an event she was helping organize when she died last month.

The event was A Wizardly Evening in Oz, a “Wizard of Oz”-themed fundraiser for Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter (WATTS), the nonprofit overseen by Schottelkorb for nine of its 10 years.

“She was a person of very deep passion and commitment to anything she was involved with,” said Opequon Presbyterian Church Pastor David Witt, who headed the task force of local churches that created WATTS in 2009. “That certainly involved a deep commitment and loyalty to the WATTS ministry.”

WATTS is a program that provides a warm, safe place for homeless people to have a meal and sleep during cold weather, from November to March. Twenty participating churches offer shelter for one week at a time, and shuttle services are provided to transport clients to and from each week’s location. Guests check in at 7 p.m. each night and leave by 7 a.m. each day.

“Our WATTS shelter may be open 20 weeks during the year, but it requires a year-round effort,” Witt said.

Many of the volunteers and donors who keep WATTS running attended Saturday’s banquet at West Oaks Farm Market at 4305 Middle Road in Frederick County. Sue Nixson, who handles marketing for WATTS, said Schottelkorb was key in choosing the location following last year’s fundraiser at the Cloverdale Barn on Cedar Creek Grade.

“We just picked up where she left and continued on with the plans for tonight,” Nixson said on Saturday.

Schottelkorb’s spirit also drove the creation of a new award to honor an individual for his or her outstanding support of the nonprofit organization. The first Marion Schottelkorb Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Jon Eye, president of Mover Dudes in Winchester.

In announcing the award winner at Saturday’s fundraiser, WATTS board member Robyn Miller said Eye was “truly the man behind the curtain” — a nod to the fictional “Wizard of Oz” character created by author L. Frank Baum.

“Most volunteers have never met him, but he has been to every one of your shelters and is crucial to your success,” Miller said.

Eye and his moving company volunteer each week during WATTS season to transport the nonprofit’s bedding and equipment from church to church.

“If we had to pay a mover to do this, it would cost us $354 a week. That’s over $7,000 a shelter season,” Miller said. “He has done it for free the past three years.”

“It’s easy to do things for the community when you have such an awesome leader like that,” Eye said, referring to Schottelkorb, who died on July 6.

Since WATTS is a faith-based organization, Witt offered a prayer thanking the woman whose compassion and example inspired all of the attendees at Saturday night’s fundraiser.

“Marion has left us a sincere and genuine legacy,” Witt said, “and we pray that we would take that baton and go into the future.”

By BRIAN BREHM The Winchester Star
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WINCHESTER — Marion Schottelkorb, longtime executive director of Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter (WATTS), died Saturday at her home, surrounded by family and close friends. She was 72.

She had been battling cancer.

For 10 years, Schottelkorb headed WATTS, joining the nonprofit organization shortly after its founding in 2009.

WATTS provides overnight, cold-weather shelter for homeless people in Winchester and Frederick and Clarke counties.

The Rev. David Young, who was Schottelkorb’s pastor at Bethel Lutheran Church in Frederick County, described her as full of energy and an inspiration to others.

“She’s one of those unsung heroes in our world that not everybody knows of, but once you find what they do, you are amazed at what the human spirit can accomplish,” Young said on Sunday. “That’s what Marion was. She was a breath of fresh air and a whirlwind of strength, energy and compassion.”

Laurel Coleman, president of the WATTS board, said that during the first season of WATTS in 2009, only a handful of churches were willing to offer their facilities to accommodate the homeless. She credits Schottelkorb for increasing awareness about WATTS and getting more people involved in the cause. Due in part to Schottelkorb’s efforts, WATTS now has 20 churches that host homeless people from November to March on a weekly rotation.

“She had such a passion for WATTS and helping people,” Coleman said. “I truly admired that about her and her determination to make a difference.”

Schottelkorb’s responsibilities as executive director included bringing churches together, organizing fundraisers and guiding committees. She envisioned raising enough money so that WATTS could have a permanent location that would enable WATTS to shelter people year-round. Coleman said the organization’s dream is to be able to renovate a location for $50,000 to $100,000.

“As her pastor, I’ve been able to witness her dedication and love and care for those who are homeless and it has been inspiring — not only for our congregation, but for people throughout Winchester,” Young said. “She has brought an earnestness and a real leadership to caring for people in need and working so hard to find a place where WATTS can find a permanent home.”

Young said Schottelkorb was a fun-loving jokester who loved having a good time with her husband George and their friends.

“She loved her New England Patriots,” Young said. “She loved her Lord and she fought to serve her God by serving those who were less fortunate. And she did that with a true, genuine leadership and joy.”

A celebration of life service for Schottelkorb will be held in the near future, but Coleman said arrangements have not been finalized. In lieu of flowers, it was Schottelkorb’s wish that people make donations to WATTS online at watts-homelessshelter.org.

Coleman said WATTS’s 15-member board is trying to figure out how to move forward without Schottelkorb.

“I just feel the community has lost a fearless and tireless supporter for WATTS,” Coleman said. “She fought with grace, humor and passion. Her determination was truly to be admired, and WATTS will continue, but we will definitely be missing an element of enthusiasm and spunk.”

WATTS will host a Wizard of Oz-themed fundraiser on Aug. 10 at West Oaks Farm Market from 7-10 p.m. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at eventbrite.com/e/2019-watts-the-wizard-tickets-64435841336. Coleman encourages the public to turn out in honor of Schottelkorb.

In addition to her husband, Schottelkorb is survived by daughters Christyn and Tracey and eight grandchildren.

By JOSH JANNEY The Winchester Star
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