County To Activate Cold Shelters Tonight

With temperatures expected to drop on the evening of Monday, January 17 and Tuesday January 18, Lake County will activate shelters for those vulnerable to cold weather.

Trinity Assembly of God, located at 200 Urick Street in Fruitland Park and LifePointe Church, located at 3551 E. Orange Ave. in Eustis, will open both nights 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 screenings at each shelter as well as offering hepatitis A, flu, and COVID-19 vaccinations.

LakeXpress, Lake County’s fixed route transportation service, will provide free transportation to riders who indicate they are traveling to a cold weather shelter. Riders should arrive before the indicated pick-up time. 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.

Evenings of Monday, January 17 and Tuesday, January 18:
Clermont – pick-up times:

  • 5:20 p.m. – FDOT Park and Ride, located at 1995 U.S. Highway 27 in Clermont, for transport to Trinity Assembly of God. LakeXpress driver will alert riders that cold weather shelter transportation has been dispatched for them, and they should stay at the bus pick-up location inside the Park and Ride to await paratransit transportation.
Eustis – pick-up times:
  • 5:30 p.m. – Ardice Transfer Center. Riders will be transported by bus (Lake County Connection) to LifePointe Church.
  • 5:30 – 5:45 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:
  • 5:00 p.m. – Citizens Transfer Center, located near 1321 Citizens Blvd. in Leesburg. Riders will board the Route 1A bus for transport to Trinity Assembly of God.

Mornings of Tuesday, January 18 and Wednesday, January 19:
LifePointe Church, Eustis

  • 6:30 a.m. – Lake County Connection will transport riders back to The Open Door, located at 115 E. Citrus Ave. in Eustis or the Ardice Transfer Center afterward. 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 alert the driver that they are returning home from the cold weather shelter and may ride for free to their destination.

Lake County residents who anticipate the need to be sheltered at one of the churches and are unable to be picked up at one of the pre-designated locations during this multi-day event should call Lake County Connection at 352-742-2612 by 1:00 p.m. on January 17 to schedule a time and location for pick-up.

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.