The Extended Hours Program at Scattered Site will be open until March 31. (Scattered Site/Facebook)

By Derek Cornet

Overnight shelter

Extended Hours Program begins at Scattered Site

Nov 12, 2019 | 1:22 PM

Those without somewhere to sleep as the temperature plunges in the tri-communities can go to the Scattered Site Outreach Program in La Ronge.

The organization began its Extended Hours Program at 4 p.m. Monday and will stay open from that time to 8 a.m. until March 31. The overnight component extends the hours of operation at Scattered Site, which is usually open during the week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Manager Jackie Ballantyne stated three people slept at the shelter last night, but she expects it will become busier soon.

“The word is going to go out by moccasin telegraph, so we should have a full house by the end of the week,” she said. “Every year, we have had a full house by the end of November or beginning of December and it’s necessary because there are still people sleeping in tents. I tried to track them down over the weekend and let them know we are on for sure.”

There’s also a new extended hours program manager as the previous person in the role found other employment. The new manager is Lorna Thiessen, who brings with her more than 40 years of working in shelters in the Northwest Territories and northern Alberta. Five other staff members have also been hired and the organization is still looking for two casual employees.

“She’s an amazing person, she runs a really tight ship and I’m looking forward to how she manages the extended hours program,” Ballantyne said about Thiessen.

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The program is made possible by a grant through the Métis Housing Corporation, which has provided funding for multiple years now. Ballantyne mentioned, however, donations like sleeping bags, pillows, boots and jackets are still needed.

“Scattered Site has a limited budget through the health authority, and we find there is extra needs with the extra services we are providing,” she said. “I just want to say thank you to residents of the tri-community. Everyone pitches in. When we put things on Facebook like requesting donations, they have been more than generous.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno