By Dominic Abassi

Nanaimo shelter holding warm clothing drive Saturday

Oct 28, 2016 | 9:10 PM

NANAIMO — Nanaimo’s only extreme weather shelter is holding a clothing drive, aiming to load up on warm pants and coats ahead of opening for the season.

The 24-bed shelter in the First Unitarian Church on Townsite Road opens for its 9th season on Nov.1. Coordinator Kevan Griffith says they’re hoping to collect at least 150 pairs of sweat pants. They’re also looking for socks, coats and pajamas.

“When they (shelter clients) come in they’re soaking wet,” said Griffith. “They can get out of those wet clothes, we can give them some sweat pants. It’s pretty hard to enjoy your evening meal soaking wet…and they have something to sleep in while we get those clothes washed through the night.”

The clothing drives runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 29 at the shelter. Griffith says the clothing doesn’t have to be new, it just has to be warm.

“A lot of times they take the sweat pants with them…and I can’t blame them, it’s cold out there,” he said.

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Griffith says they were open for two nights during mid-October storms this year and had six people each night. He described them as six of “Nanaimo’s most marginalized”.

The city reports the shelter hosted just under 2,800 people last year, with people often being turned away because it was full. The facility’s hours are 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and clients are offered evening and morning meals, access to donated clothing and laundry services in a staffed environment.