The Methodist Church located at 405 Main Street in Clearwater has plans to open their doors (basement) during storms, to be used as a shelter.

“This is a service for the neighborhood,” said Reverend Alison Hendley, the Pastor of the church.

Today, (Sat., April 5) there will be an Open House at the church for people to come and check out the facility and meet their neighbors. The church will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and there is no obligation, said Pastor Hendley.

“This is just for people to see what they’re getting into, and for us to plan how it will work,” she said.

Several homes in the neighborhood do not have basements or any small cellars, according to Steve Houle, one of the organizers of the project.

“Many of these houses date from the 1850’s and do not have inhabitable basements,” Houle said.

The basement of the church has a restroom, two ways in and out, and the building is well-built, say the organizers.

For more information, or to ask that the basement be opened for shelter, call: Vickie Spengler at 320.492.0040, or Kitty Johansen at 320.558.6613 or, Steve Houle at 612.300.1716.