Layers

Last week it was almost 60 degrees. The sun was out and I even heard a misguided bird dare to chirp a little because it was fooled into thinking it might be spring.

Today its blustery and snow flurries are whipping around on an 18 degree afternoon. Its gray outside and there are more than a few disappointed robins nestling back into their nests, wondering what happened.

When I moved to Montana in 1996, someone told me if I didn't like the weather that I should wait 5 minutes because it will change. They were right and I have since experienced meteorological anomalies only other Montanans would understand. I've seen snow in June and wore shorts and flip-flops in December. Chinooks and Arctic fronts have been introduced to my vocabulary. There are many variations of temperatures and weather under our Big Sky. I've grown used to the winters and revel in the summers. Something that has been instrumental to my adaptation is the concept of layering. Life became easier when I learned that dressing for a few different seasons (all in one day) was the key to survival.

This is common sense, really. From November till May, throw on a tee shirt, another shirt, a hoodie... And you are good to go. A wool cap is nice to have in case the temperature dips and always keep a spare coat or jacket in the back of your vehicle. Oh, don't forget the gloves. Once summer rolls around, we have a veritable thrift store's worth of assorted clothing compiled in the back seat. We clean it out, pack it up, and store it until the cooler months come calling again.

But what happens during the late fall and winter if you don't have adequate storage for your emergency clothes? Sometimes layering becomes less than a luxury and more of a necessity. When they are not living in our shelter, many of our residents have no place to keep their clothes. The only viable option is to either store the clothes they can't carry in makeshift hiding places around the city, or to pile on as much as they can and wear them. I've talked to several residents over the years and this is a common dilemma they face. Neither is preferable but both are realities.

Samaritan House provides a valuable service for the homeless because we afford them a place to keep their clothes warm, dry, and clean. And, they have adequate room to store things so they are not forced to store their clothes outside or have to wear everything at once. They can watch the news and local weather forecast to determine what they might need to wear during the day. Our shelter provides clothing at no cost for our residents who need it. We rely on your donations to stock our clothing pantry and are very appreciative when items are donated. The very things we discard can provide warmth and comfort to others. We also accept new items.

So, please remember to be thankful if you are able to throw your layered clothing in the trunk of your car. Its much easier than wearing it all at once.