2017 November PASO Magazine

LAST WORD
PASO CARES Opens The Warming Station For The 3 rd Year
By Chuck Desmond
Beginning Nov 1 st , PASO
CARES is ready to shelter the
homeless in our community on
forecasted rainy and/or bitter-cold
nights below 35 degrees. The program
began five years ago by Ernie
Miller to help with food, shelter and
necessities with a mission to provide
immediate and longer-term needs
for homeless and their families in
the Paso area.
Ernie enlisted Cherie Michelson,
known locally for her work with
the homeless, and Ed Gallagher
who was employed for 32 years for
the City. Through Ed's positions in
Community Development, he saw
the plight and the struggle of dealing
with the homeless situation. When
Ed retired in 2014, he got involved
and became the president this July of
the seven-person board.
As we all know, it can get dang
cold and equally wet in El Paso de
Robles through the Winter months.
Being homeless is not always a
choice and the one mantra we've
heard a thousand times during
months of recent disasters is that
we're all in this together; no mater
the circumstances, color, origin or
belief system. We're just born to help
when we can.
Feeding the homeless has always
been a challenge here. Through
both good and lousy times, getting
enough food at proper locations has
been a true labor of dedication by
the men and women who did it and
the facilities' leaders that provided
the venues.
There is now a “feeding station
under the canopy” at 24th and Riverside.
Monday through Friday at
4 p.m., “The Paso Robles Casserole
Club” provides meals. On Saturday
there is a lunch served at St. James
Episcopal Church, and on Sunday at
4 p.m., a meal is served by the First
United Methodist Church at the
feeding station.
While this a magnificent crusade,
the question is “What happens afterward
when the rain is pounding
down and the temps are forecasted
to be miserably cold?”
The best answer we have so far is
PASO CARES — which pays for
Ride-On to take men, women and
their children to one of the donated
and designated locations for up to
a dozen persons to spend a dry and
warm night.
This all started Dec. 1, 2015. Since
then, the number of people who have
spent a night is approaching 400. The
rules are pretty simple. Each person
must pass a visual sobriety test, exhibit
no behavioral risk, no smoking,
alcohol or drugs allowed, and not be
on Megan's Law register.
As of this writing, three churches
have opened their doors for a night
per week. They are: Covenant Community
Church, Life Community
Church (for two nights) and Paso
Robles Community Church. By now
you have figured out that this means
there are three nights each week
when there are no shelters.
That, dear readers, is the sad reality.
Until more shelters are found
(three more venues are considering
the program) and more volunteers
are signed up to chaperone the
nights, it's the best there is for now.
What makes it even more “smackya-upside-the-head”
is that at 6 a.m.,
everyone is out the door! Still cold?
Still raining? No matter; that night's
shelter is over and it's back on the
Ride-On bus to the feeding station.
A whole whale of a lot-better than
nothing but still pretty darn meager.
Our pueblo's residents are asked
every day to give, give, give and then,
dig deeper again. Just ask any winery
how many donation requests
they receive every week for the #1
fund-raising town I've ever heard of.
If PASO CARES sounds right
for you and interests your spirit
and you'd like to help in any way,
here's what they need. Volunteers
are No. 1 on the list; drivers, record
keepers, publicity, chaperones, and
correspondence. Cash donations of
course, blankets and pillows, bottles
of water, granola bars and socks.
Those all tie for second place.
Look up www.PasoCares.org
for more information, and a link
to make financial donations.
To donate “stuff” contact Ed at
EdfGallagher@gmail.com or call
712-4710 for arrangements.
Paso Cares: Ernie Miller, Paul Fairchild, Cherie Michaelson, Don Volle, Ed Gallagher, Jerry Stover, Gail McNichols
A Beautiful Face 58
Abby's Self Storage 29
Adrienne Hagan 63
Advanced Concrete 47
Almond Country
Quilters 31
Amdal In Home Care 60
Applied Telecom
Technology 28
Arlynes Flowers 38
Artworks 44
Associated Traffic
Safety 36
Austin, Mary Ann 58
Awakening Ways 55
Berry Hill Bistro 47
Biodynamics 61
Black Diamond
Vericompost 54
Blake's True Value 20
Blenders 28
Body Basics 55
Boys and Girls Club 13
Bridge Sportsmen
Center 46
Cal Paso Solar 29
CASA 54
Casa Rustica 12
Casey Printing 64
Chains Required 20
Chalekson,
Dr. Charles 39
Cider Creek Bakery 33
City of Paso Robles 53
Community West Bank 11
Connect Home Loans 44
Cotton and Rust 16
Country Florist 52
Dutch Maytag 41
El Paso de Robles
Historical Society 29
El Paso Self Storage 40
Equine Experience 59
Estrella Warbirds 10
Frontier Floors 42
Gallagher Video Services 55
General Store Paso
Robles 45
Gilliss, Keith
- Prime Commercial 21
Golden Collar 34
Golden Reverse
Mortgage 9
GRL Computer
Consulting 56
Hamon Overhead Door 22
Healthy Inspirations 38
Hearing Aid Specialists 3
Hearing Solutions
w/Helena 50
Heart to Heart non profits 17
Heart to Heart RE 35
HFG - Coastal Insurance
Service 12
Hospice of SLO County 30
Kennedy Club Fitness 45
Klockenteger, Lisa 20
Lansford Dental 67
Las Tablas Animal Hosp 14
Liv Home 21
Lube N Go 34
Lyon, Bonnie Dr. 51
Main Street Small
Animal Hospital 39
Natural Alternative 55
N.C.D.P.A.F. 29
North County Pilates 48
Nose to Tail 30
Odyssey World Cafe 36
Paderewski Festival 49
Paradigm Advisors 41
Paso PetCare 59
Paso Robles Handyman 59
Perfect Air 25
Photo Stop 63
Pioneer Day Committee 15
Planet Fitness 7
Plateroti Dermatology 43
PR Casino 46
PR Cemetery 23
PR Chevrolet 68
PR Door & Trim 38
PR Insurance 32
PR Main St. 26
PR Safe & Lock 31
PW Construction 60
Red Scooter Deli 52
Reneau, J Scott - Ins. 56
Riel Wine on Tap 35
Riley, Dr. Kaitilin 25
Salus Integtrative
Medicine 45
Scoles, Law Office
of Patricia 60
Secret Garden Salon 54
SESLOC
Federal Credit Union 27
Solaralos 47
Solarponics 41
Sotheby’s Heather
Desmond 4, 5
Spice of Life 61
Sprain, Bob Draperies 58
Susie’s Dog Grooming 35
Ted Hamm Ins. 25
Templeton Holiday Craft
Boutique 39
Tent City Marathon 57
Teresa Rhyne Law Group 64
The Auto Bahn 38
The Harley Group 25
The Loft 30
The Wellness Kitchen 37
Torsten Juule-Borre 48
Twin Cities Hospital 2
Viborg Cart-Away
Concrete 23
Vic’s Cafe 57
Western Janitor Supply 44
Whitehorse 60
Wighton’s 4
Wine Country Theatre 19
Worship Directory 65
Writing Support Group
- Alexander, Patricia 55
Wyatt Wicks 58
66 PASO Magazine, November 2017