With temperatures dropping near or below zero during the past week, people are struggling to keep their homes warm and water lines from freezing, while others are braving the frigid temperatures without a roof over their heads. A common quote during cold snaps like we’ve experienced is “I can’t wait to get home,” however many aren’t that fortunate as they go day to day wondering where they will rest for the night.

New Martinsville has a homeless problem. It’s not hard to recognize the homeless. Last week there were a few camped out covered in cardboard on the steps of a vacant building. There were reports also of homeless people sleeping and camping out in a wooded area in Steelton.

After searching the internet and making several phone calls, It was soon discovered that Wetzel and Tyler Counties provide absolutely no city or county emergency shelter for the homeless. As one gentleman who we spoke to said, “It’s really tough to find a place to stay, sometimes I get help from the local veterans groups but other than that I’m basically left out on my own.”

This brings up the question that must be asked! How do homeless people survive in the coldest nights of winter? Answer: Some don’t! Others find warm places to huddle, places to hide indoors, and some stay awake and move around during extreme cold spells.

People tend to be more merciful during cold spells, but when there are no shelters or churches, it becomes survial at any cost.

“Homeless” also means “nowhere permanent to live”. Some homeless people bounce from friend to friend, sleeping on couches. Again, people tend to be more kind when it is really cold. But definitely, some freeze to death.

Many homeless people do not survive the cold months. Homeless people freeze to death because they are outside. Homeless people are often malnourished. Some homeless are substance abusers, which makes death and injury from the cold increase, as such a person might nod off with only a t-shirt on. Also, there are a number of mentally ill people in the homeless population and they of course may or may not understand or care much about the need to get inside or to really bundle up.

It is amazing how many vacant places there are which could provide shelter. Abandoned houses are choice of course, but any abandoned or vacant building will get a person off of the street and out of icy wind. A lot of the homeless try to get into shelters on the very coldest nights, or at least go to one and eat and spend a couple of hours in the warmth of the place. That’s not available here!

So what can we do? We should at least have a drop off place where they can pick up blankets, extra clothing, gloves and of course some food. It’s a crime to leave a pet out in the freezing weather, but it doesn’t seem to bother many when it’s a human! So, Find someone to snuggle with who will at least keep you company so that your heart and spirit stays warm.