The Mountaineer

As winter draws closer, the need for heating assistance continues to grow. 

To help those in need, a campaign was started last year to raise money to assist people with winter heating costs. That campaign — Share the Warmth — successfully raised more than $35,000 last year. That was in addition to $565,000 Mountain Projects spent for weatherization last year.

Currently, the fund is depleted and donations are needed to help provide heat this winter, said Patsy Dowling, executive director of Mountain Projects, the organization that administers Share the Warmth. The funds are needed even more this year since the agency has yet to receive an anticipated $1.2 million in stimulus funds to weatherize homes.

“This time last year, we were already weatherizing and helping with heat,” Dowling said. “I thought we’d get stimulus money by now.”

Dowling does not know when those funds will arrive and continues to receive word from the state that it will happen after her agency goes through training again. Mountain Projects initially prepared for the stimulus funds in March, when the agency was told to train contractors to begin weatherizing homes right away. Dowling collaborated with Haywood Community College to get the training done right away, only to be told more training was needed.

Until that time, Dowling said donations would help keep people warm as the temperature goes down. All donations made to Share the Warmth are tax deductible and 100 percent of funds go directly to heating assistance, Dowling said.

In addition to monetary donations, Dowling said blankets are a big need, as well. She received a donation of 77 blankets last week from the Waynesville Rotary Club.

“This year, we can’t do coats, but we could use nice blankets for donations,” she said.

Those wanting to help can also sponsor a family or a senior citizen this winter. Dowling said donations made as a sponsor go to a specific family or senior in honor of who provided the sponsorship.

“We’ve identified some of the most vulnerable in the community,” Dowling said.

This Thursday night, a group of teenagers will do their part to help Share the Warmth. A number of Tuscola High School teens will spend the night in boxes on campus to raise awareness and money for Share the Warmth.

This is the second year Tuscola has done this.

“It’s a really big eye-opener for the kids,” said Cindy Allen, a Tuscola teacher who leads the SWAT TEAM and a coordinator of the event. “It is really cold when they don’t have homes to sleep in.”

Members of the SWAT TEAM, the Ecology Club, Key Club and others will spend the night in boxes in front of D Building on campus, starting at 8 p.m. The Peace Jam Club will provide music and a hat will be passed for donations. Allen said members of the public are welcome to make donations, as well, and can do so Thursday night from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday or any other time at Tuscola High School.

All donations will go to the Share the Warmth fund.

“The reason we do it Thursday night is we want them to be taken out of their comfort zone,” Allen said. “I’ll work all day and all of the kids will come to school and we won’t have all the comforts of home to get ready before work or school because the people without homes don’t have the comforts of a home when they get ready for school or work.”

Allen said staff and students participating appreciate the box donations given by Massey Furniture, Lowe’s and Haywood Appliances, and are grateful for any donations given by the community.

About 50 teens participated last year, raising $2,900. Allen said she expects at least the same amount of students and they hope to raise at least $3,000 this year.

For more information, call Tuscola High School at 456-2408 and leave a message for Cindy Allen. To make a donation in person, visit the school between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Oct. 29. The school is located at 564 Tuscola School Road in Waynesville.

To make a donation to Share the Warmth directly, call Mountain Projects at 452-1447.