(By Joe Nelson/San Bernardino Sun)
Posted in The Sun – December 11, 2017
(To read article  CLICK HERE)

Following a fire at the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds in Victorville that displaced a homeless shelter there, the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Barstow has stepped up to provide two military tents to serve as shelters this winter.

The two tents have been in use since late November, said Jimmy Waldron, executive director for High Desert Homeless Services, Inc., which is operating the shelters in conjunction with the Rescue Mission Alliance Victor Valley.

On Dec. 5, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an agreement with the Marine base to borrow the tents, and the county, in turn, is letting the Rescue Mission Alliance Victor Valley and High Desert Homeless Services Inc. use the tents through March 31.

A fire at a fairgrounds building in July forced the Rescue Mission Alliance Victor Valley to give up the building it had been using at the fairgrounds for the last seven years as its winter homeless shelter, said VVRM Director Bill Edwards in a telephone interview Monday. He said fair events once held at the building damaged in the fire had to be relocated to the building that was serving as the homeless shelter.

Edwards subsequently approached county supervisor and Board of Supervisors Chairman Robert Lovingood for help. Lovingood sought the assistance of the Marines.

“This is an example of agencies coming together to benefit some of the most vulnerable people in the community,” Lovingood said in a statement Monday. “My deepest appreciation to the Marine Corps Logistics Base for their support in providing these tents to keep folks warm on cold winter nights.”

Each tent can accommodate up to 21 people and will be open from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. when temperatures drop to below 40 degrees or when there is rain or snow. Restrooms and sinks are also available on site. Volunteers will oversee the shelters, which provide cots, blankets, soup, hot chocolate and coffee to guests, Waldron said.

Volunteers are needed to help run the shelters. Shifts are from 6-10 p.m., 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., and 3-7 a.m., Waldron said anyone who wants to volunteer can visit justserve.org or the shelter’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VVCommunityWarmingShelter/.

Edwards said a 28-foot by 44-foot modular was recently donated to the VVRM, which means more shelter space for the High Desert’s homeless population. He said the modular is expected to be on site at the fairgrounds before Christmas and will be used in conjunction with the tents for shelter.

“We imagine we’ll be able to get at least 25 to 30 cots in there,” he said.