In the absence of a dedicated indoor cold-weather shelter, a Parksville woman looks to help those left out in the cold.
On Sunday, Feb. 14, Kelly Morris created a cold-weather camp in the back parking lot of St. Anne香蕉视频直播檚 church on Church Road.
Since there are currently no cold-weather shelters in the Parksville Qualicum Beach region, Morris said she would have to make due with warm tents.
香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 no doors open and these people are literally freezing,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not OK for us to sit back and watch.香蕉视频直播�
Morris plans on keeping the camp accessible until significant efforts are made to help the vulnerable population and 香蕉视频直播渟omething香蕉视频直播� opens up.
As of Tuesday, Feb. 16, though there are currently only two tents in the camp and only one camper at the St. Anne香蕉视频直播檚 location, Morris anticipates the camp getting larger, as people bring their own tents.
She said that with the supplies they have, they can provide shelter for eight people.
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Morris said she chose St. Anne香蕉视频直播檚 parking lot 香蕉视频直播渂ecause nobody can move them from the church.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 the only place they can actually go for any kind of sanctuary.香蕉视频直播�
She said when people experiencing homelessness set up camp within the city in an area that allows for overnight camping, such as Mark香蕉视频直播檚 Nature Park, city staff will ask them to pack up and take what they can carry the next morning.
A lot of their belongings are left behind, such as winter clothing and other winter essentials, she said.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e really hoping that something will give. I香蕉视频直播檓 pretty sure there香蕉视频直播檚 going to be some doors opening up. I香蕉视频直播檓 hoping.香蕉视频直播�
Rev. Christine Muise, the Priest Associate for St. Anne香蕉视频直播檚 and a founding member of OHEART (a local organization trying to find a shelter solution in the Parksville Qualicum Beach region), believes the campers would be far better placed in a municipal building but understands that 香蕉视频直播渢hese people have nowhere else to go.香蕉视频直播�
Located in the parking lot, tucked behind the 127-year-old wood church, are portable toilets where campers can 香蕉视频直播渁s human beings, use the bathroom.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 not in a position where I can, right now, let them go find somewhere else because they香蕉视频直播檝e, as far as I know, tried other places. And there香蕉视频直播檚 no actual spots within the community that they could safely sleep or go to the bathroom,香蕉视频直播� said Muise.
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