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As Temperatures Drop, Agencies Gear Up To Help Those In Need

Posted at 8:22 AM, Nov 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-10 08:25:05-05

JESSAMINE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — With cold weather settling into the region, agencies and aid groups are gearing up to help.

While cold temperatures are just an inconvenience to many, it can be dangerous or even life-threatening for some.

An event today in Jessamine County offers the pubic a chance to do something about it.

On Saturday, the East West Jessamine Bass Team is hosting it first Coats In The Boat event, at the Jessamine Career and Technology Center.

Visitors are asked to drop off a coat and the receive a ticket for a giveaway at the end of the swap meet. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In Lexington, the Catholic Action Center’s volunteers are looking for people in need of supplies or shelter.

Friday night was the first run of the season for the agency’s Compassionate Caravan.

For the next few months, Thomas Caudill will drive through Lexington many times. However, he says it’s unusual that he’ll be making the drive so many nights in a row.

“It looks like for the next seven days it’s going to be below freezing,” Caudill said.

The cold weather will keep Caudill and the Compassionate Caravan busy.

“These guys, they have a backpack, and that’s usually all they’ve got,” he said. “So this weather is going to surprise some of them by not having proper clothing.”

On Friday, Caudill made a number of stops around town, many places he’s been to many times before. In each spot, he hopes to make contact with someone staying in the cold who he can offer a ride to a shelter.

“But some might never come in, so we just want to make sure they’ve got blankets and sleeping bags and whatever,” Caudill said.

The demand for this kind of aid is never-ending.

“We don’t know what the Lord is going to give us, be he gave us strength to get up and do it, so we’re going to go,” Caudill said. “It’s all we can do.”