photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

The Community Building at 115 W. 11th St. is pictured on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021.

Because of the extreme cold in the forecast, the City of Lawrence is extending hours for the Winter Emergency Shelter.

The shelter, which is operated out of the Community Building, 115 W. 11th St., will be open continuously from 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21, until 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 27, according to a city news release. However, the release states that the emergency shelter will only be able to operate under the extended hours if the city gets sufficient volunteer support from the community to supplement city staff at the site.

Those staying at the emergency shelter will not need to leave at any point from 9 a.m. on Dec. 21 until 7 a.m. on Dec. 27. The emergency shelter will continue to be in operation nightly from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m., and people will be able to use the Community Building as a “warming site” from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. once the overnight service concludes. Regardless of whether the city closes the recreation centers due to weather, the Community Building will remain open as a warming site for unsheltered residents.

The city is in critical need of volunteers to cover the following Winter Emergency Shelter volunteer shifts. Interested volunteers sign up using a link from the city’s program website, lawrenceks.org/pds/homeless-programs.

•Dec. 24 from noon to 7 p.m.

•Dec. 24 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

•Dec. 24 from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

•Dec. 25 from 8 a.m. to noon

•Dec. 25 from noon to 7 p.m.

Additionally, the WES is in urgent need of donations, including the below, which can be brought to the Community Building during its hours of operation and from 7 to 11 p.m. nightly.

•Winter gloves (all adult sizes)

•Wool hats (all adult sizes)

•Wool socks (all adult sizes)

•Hot Hands & Hot Feet

•Individually packaged snack food (protein bars, trail mix, crackers, etc.)

The Community Building is the only emergency shelter that the city will have open on Sunday, Dec. 25, as the other recreation facilities will be closed for the holiday. All other days, the other recreation facilities, including the East Lawrence Recreation Center, Holcom Park Recreation Center and Sports Pavilion Lawrence, are open as warming sites during their normal operating hours. Regular hours and special holiday hours are listed on the city website, Lawrenceks.org.

Looking ahead, the city will also keep the WES open for 24 hours on Sunday, Jan. 1, as other city buildings and community organizations will be closed for the holiday. Volunteer support will also be needed on Jan. 1.

Lawrence is under a winter storm watch from 12 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22, through 12 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 23. There is a wind chill watch from 6 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22, through noon on Friday, Dec. 23.