Lake County To Activate Cold Weather Shelters Feb. 13

With temperatures expected to drop on the evening of Sunday, Feb. 13, Lake County will activate shelters for those vulnerable to cold weather.

Trinity Assembly of God, located at 200 Urick St. in Fruitland Park and LifePointe Church, located at 3551 E. Orange Ave. in Eustis, will open from 5 p.m. until 7 a.m. the following morning. Masks are required at all cold weather sheltering locations, and the Florida Department of Health will be conducting COVID-19 screening at each shelter as well as offering hepatitis A, flu, and COVID-19 vaccinations.

The CDC now also requires all riders of public busing systems to wear an appropriate face covering that covers both the nose and mouth for the duration of the ride. Bus drivers will provide face coverings for transit riders if needed. The CDC Order may be viewed by visiting https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p0130-requires-face-masks.html.

• Evening of Sunday, Feb. 13:
  • Clermont – pick-up times:
    • 4:30 p.m. – Citrus Tower Parking Lot, located at 141 N. Hwy 27. Riders will be transported to LifePointe Church. Local law enforcement will arrive at Citrus Tower parking lot at 4:30 p.m. to determine if cold weather shelter transportation is needed. If riders are present, the officer will call on-duty transit official, and a transit bus will be dispatched.
  • Eustis – pick-up times:
    • 5:30 p.m. – The Open Door, located at 115 E. Citrus Ave. in Eustis (after Ardice Transfer Center). Riders will be transported by bus (Lake County Connection) to LifePointe Church.
  • Leesburg – pick-up times:
    • 5:30 p.m. – Intersection of 4th St. and Main St., Leesburg, for transport to Trinity Assembly of God.
    • 5:30 – 5:45 p.m. – Come As You Are Ministry, located at 1305 Sunshine Ave., Leesburg, for transport to Trinity Assembly of God.
  • Mount Dora – pick-up times:
    • 6:00 p.m. – Racetrac Gas Station, located at 20005 US Hwy 441. Riders will be transported to LifePointe Church.

• Morning of Monday, Feb. 14:
  • LifePointe Church, Eustis
    • 6:30-6:45 a.m. – Lake County Connection will transport riders back to The Open Door, located at 115 E. Citrus Ave. in Eustis, the Ardice Transfer Center in Eustis, the RaceTrac gas station in Mount Dora, or the Citrus Tower parking lot in Clermont. Riders can also alert the driver that they are returning home from the cold weather shelter and may ride for free to their destination.
  • Trinity Assembly of God, Fruitland Park
    • 7:10 – 7:20 a.m. – LakeXpress will transport riders to the Citizens Transfer Center in Leesburg or the Salvation Army, located at 2605 South St. in Leesburg. Riders can also elect to be taken to the Salvation Army or alert the driver that they are returning home from the cold weather shelter and may ride for free to their destination.

To receive cold weather alerts, text “COLD” to 888-777 or follow Lake County Emergency Management on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/LakeCountyFLEmergencyManagement. For more information about preparing for extreme cold weather events, visit www.floridadisaster.org/hazards/extreme-cold. Nonprofit and faith-based organizations that wish to offer sheltering assistance in the future should contact Lake County Emergency Management at 352-343-9420.