Flagler County residents without heat will have a warm place to stay this weekend as overnight temperatures are expected to fall below 40 degrees.
The Sheltering Tree will be closed on Saturday night but will reopen for Sunday and Monday nights due to the cold weather. The shelter operates at the Rock Transformation Center, located at 2200 N. State Street. It serves not only those experiencing homelessness but anyone who does not have heat in their home.
The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures will drop below 40 degrees during the overnight hours on both Sunday and Monday. This temperature is the threshold that triggers the opening of the cold-weather shelter.
The shelter will open at 5 p.m. each night and will close at 8 a.m. the following morning.
Flagler County will provide free bus transportation to the shelter. The single-bus schedule begins at 4 p.m. at McDonald’s at Old Kings Road South and State Road 100, picking up passengers at the dirt road on the east side. The bus will then stop at the Circle K at Kingswood and Old Kings Road at 4:40 p.m., followed by the Dollar Tree parking lot behind Carrabba’s at 4:50 p.m. The next stop is the Palm Coast Main Branch Library at the northwest corner of Palm Coast Parkway and Belle Terre Parkway at 4:55 p.m. The final stops are the Bunnell Free Clinic at 703 Moody Boulevard and Bridges United Methodist Church at 205 N. Pine Street in Bunnell, both at 5 p.m. due to their close proximity.
The Sheltering Tree operates under the umbrella of the Flagler County Family Assistance Center. It is a non-denominational civic organization created to provide cold weather sheltering during cold nights in Flagler County. Those with questions can call 386-437-3258.
Flagler County Fire Rescue is also reminding residents to stay safe while keeping warm. The agency advises residents to never use an oven to heat their home. All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Fireplaces should be screened to contain sparks. Portable space heaters should be kept at least three feet away from anything that can burn and should be turned off when leaving the room or going to bed.
