25 years ago: Homeless shelter finishing up first winter of service
From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Feb. 22, 1987:
The city’s “winter shelter” for the homeless, opened for the first time in November 1986, was still providing sleeping quarters for at least a dozen people every night. For the people spending their nights on a cot with a blanket in the Salvation Army’s gymnasium, the shelter was “a great place…. a good deal for people who really need help.” Since its opening, the shelter had provided 955 instances of lodging for 70 different people. Dozens of volunteers had donated about 2,800 hours to staff the shelter. Those using the shelter were awakened at 7:00 each morning so that they could vacate the building by 8:00, as stated in the rules. Several of the homeless people told the reporter of the ways in which they avoided the cold during the daylight hours, including visiting local restaurants or the public library. Some told of having recently lost their savings through unemployment or illness, and several spoke of their hopes for a successful job hunt.