In the midst of sub-freezing winter weather, several Wood County organizations and individuals have opened their doors to those in need.

The Lake Country Playhouse and the Historic Select Theater – “The Select” – opened as a warming shelter on day one of the storm.

“Yes, we’re open,” said a release from the theater. “If the weather does get bad this weekend and if you lose power and need a place to get warm, we will open our doors to you… as long as we have power, you have a warm place to go.”

According to the release, at least one volunteer stayed until 1 a.m. Sunday morning just in case anyone had power out. 

“I basically slept at the theater to make sure someone was there to open the door and feed people at any hour,” said George Jones, the executive director of the theater.

The theater provided free coffee, hot cocoa, tea, and family movies for anyone displaced by the weather. They even offered overnight stays for anyone who had no other place to go.

“I think just knowing we were there, and we were a viable option – a safety net, if you will – put a lot of people’s minds at ease,” said Jones. “They knew they had a place to go, and it was going to be ok.”

Jones said that they had several people come to warm up, get hot food, and watch movies. While the theater gave away the aforementioned drinks, some pie, and popcorn, he said that the majority of the community actually gave back – according to Jones, they “wanted to pay for hot dogs, etc. to help the theater out.”

Others who opened their doors include the Winnsboro City Hall Council Chambers, the Carroll Green Civic Center in Quitman, and the Hawkins Community Center.

The Wood County Electric Co-op, in what Director of Communications Paige Eaton called “the co-op way,” also sent six volunteer linemen and their trucks out to a neighboring county that was in need of help.

“Co-ops help one another in the aftermath of storms,” said Eaton. “Cherokee County Electric Co-op has put out the call for help, and these six WCEC linemen have answered.”

Individuals did their part during the time of unsure weather, too: from locals who helped make a run to the grocery store for a single mom in need of medical supplies, to someone who drove those in need to several different cities across Wood County, to those who donated a heated blanket to an elderly individual in Mineola, several Wood County citizens braved the cold to go help someone else.

Mineola Mayor Jayne Lankford noted her deep appreciation for all that folks have done for their community during the storms.

“Mineola is such a great place. I mean it,” said Lankford. “You know, that’s above and beyond. (I love our town)… I absolutely do.”