Help For the Witching Hour

Whether or not your living room is filled with river mud, you many still want to head to Maple Place School to get some shelter.

On Thursday the school served more than 400 residents offering a warm place, food, rest and community. It also has something to occupy the kids, which can come in particularly handy after 4 p.m. when the doom and gloom of twilight begins to take its toll.

Oceanport mom Krista Newbert brought her two kids on Thursday evening for a diversion from the cold, powerless house. Her kids and a few others sat quietly drawing with boxes of colorful markers and giant sheets of paper.

The set up is actually the work of a disaster response crisis counselor, who quietly monitors how kids are doing through art therapy. But to the kids it was just some fresh markers and a whole lot of white space that needed filling.

The shelter is being staffed by volunteers and school food service employees who keep the coffee and food coming for all who drop in.

OEM Officer Buzz Boldanza said at Thursday's Borough Council meeting that he will know Friday if and when the Red Cross will come in to take over operations. This would enable the to shelter to stay open 24 hours and include cots for sleeping.

Capt. Dan Barcus said he is working with the school IT director to enable the shelter with wifi for all those residents starved to get on the internet. Stay tuned to Patch for more information on this.

One note: Use the Shrewsbury Avenue entrance off Port-au-Peck only, due to a downed tree on wires blocking the entrance from Branchport Avenue.