Haven House pavilion to be dedicated on Saturday
Jason Hawk | The Chronicle-Telegram
LORAIN — It’s not enough to make sure the county’s homeless are fed and protected from the elements, Leadership Lorain County Executive Director Gail Stumphauzer said.
Sometimes, beauty and peace of mind are just as important gifts, she said.
That’s the idea 38 volunteers had in mind when they built a pavilion this spring for residents at the Neighborhood House Association’s Haven Center at 1536 E. 30th St. in Lorain. The builders and residents will celebrate the new outdoor building 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday with a ribbon cutting and picnic.
“People at the shelter really have nowhere outside to go,” Stumphauzer said. “We wanted to give them a place to relax, to get out in the fresh air and enjoy themselves.”
The Leadership Lorain County Class of 2008 built the pavilion as part of a 10-month course about making a difference in the community, she said. Haven Center staff and shelter residents also pitched in with the construction.
Stumphauzer said part of the class focused on the growing problem of homelessness here, and the members were moved to do something about it.
Michael Mayse, director of the Neighborhood House Association, said the shelter has 68 beds, and there are about 400 homeless in the county. Shelter residents typically stay at Haven Center 90 to 120 days, including 10 or 12 children, he said.
“People literally come to the shelter with their life in a garbage bag,” Mayse said. “These are families in crisis. You take them the way they come.”
Contact Jason Hawk at 329-7148 or jhawk@chroniclet.com.
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Filed by Jason Hawk | The Chronicle-Telegram May 16th, 2008 in Top Stories. Popularity: 1% |
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