Cold weather shelter open Thursday and Friday night

A cold weather shelter for the homeless or heatless will open Thurs., Dec. 20 and Fri., Dec. 21 at Ferris Hill Baptist Church, 6848 Chaffin St. in Milton. Due to forecasted wind and rain, those who would like to stay at the shelter may begin arriving at 3 p.m. and check in until 8:30 p.m. No one will be admitted after 8:30 p.m. unless brought in by law enforcement. The shelter closes at 7 a.m. each morning.

 Santa Rosa County's cold weather shelter is operated by Ferris Hill Baptist Church, utilizing volunteer resources and donations. It opens each night weather is forecasted to drop below 40 degrees, typically December through March. The shelter is for people who are homeless or cannot maintain heat in their home, can care for themselves, and are not at risk to themselves or others. No one will be admitted to the shelter who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, unable to walk unaided or disoriented.