When you go to bed tonight in your own residence, think about the homeless people in the United States, the State of Kansas or even at a closer point - the homeless in Butler County.
Organizers of the Butler  Homeless Initiative are focusing on the 100-plus who are on the streets any given night in this county.
Krystal Wallace is president of the Initiative which has a goal of making a shelter for the homeless in Butler County
“We would like to be able to provide shelter and a nightly meal to anyone that needs a safe place to go - whether they are truly homeless or displaced,” Wallace recently told a writer for The Lantern, the student newspaper at Butler Community College.
“We would like to be able to shelter them long enough to put together a direction for them, whether it be rehab, cohesive, social services, work or reunification-cation with family.”
Joining her in this effort are Augustans Karen Deaver who is serving as an Initiative trustee and Barbara Ehret who is secretary for the group.
Deaver has invited the involvement of high school students, the local caring center and plans to speak with the missions committee at her church next month.
Her husband, Pastor Terry Deaver, will talk about the homeless shelter project with the Augusta Ministerial Alliance.
Excerpts from the mission statement for a City of Refuge Shelter, state:
“It is hard to believe, but we do have ‘under the bridge’ sleepers and a statistically documented number in excess of 120 ‘truly’ homeless every single night in Butler County.
“With El Dorado as the county seat, a town of 13,000 in population, two prisons, and one county jail releasing inmates daily, it is naive to think there are no homeless people in Butler County…Any one homeless person can tell you about 10 others that they know every day.”
“The Butler County Homeless Initiative, understands the inherent value of every human being....We formed with the idea that every  man deserves to be 10and dignity.…”
According to Gene George, director of research and effectiveness at BCC, “The homeless problem is one of the most difficult social problems to quantify or to understand in measurable and objective ways.
Homelessness is commonly associated with large cities.The stereotype has these individuals in ratty clothing  on the side of a road with a sign.
It’s been estimated there are 112 homeless people in our count. The exact number is hard to identify.
Also joining Wallace in the effort are Pastor Sam McVay of the El Dorado Ministerial Alliance as vice president. Jonna Lechner is the treasurer. Pastor Bill O’Connell is also a trustee of the Initiative.
They have developed and are implementing a plan of action, made a list of rules for potential residents of a yet to be identified shelter site, as well as laundry/shower schedules.
They have applied for applicable grants and reportedly acquired $15,000.
Wallace said the Initiative needs $150,000 to $180,000 to get a shelter set up and running so as to help individuals and families.
Once in operation, she sees the program assisting 50 to 75 individuals a night.
The operational overview provides for the following:
• One paid full-time employee.
• Two meals served- breakfast and supper.
• Doors opening at 4:30 p.m. for resident registration and closing at 9 p.m. for security.
• Safe, clean, respectful facilities for basic human needs,
• Access to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings/ (No actual counseling will be conducted at the City of Refuge.
• Worship services three times a week.
• Access to social services information. Again, no social services will be conducted at the refuge.
• Residents may elect to stay for terms of 1 night, 3 to 7 nights, maximum of four months. Those staying more than one night will have daily chores agreed to at time of registration.
All residents will be required to leave the facilities at 10 a.m. each day to begin a job search, coordinator social/mental health services, begin a job, etc.
The City of Refuge will be open to all - men, women, children, but respect for others and privacy issues will be mandatory at all times.
There will be no “couples” facilities available.
The refuge will also come with a list of No’s such as:
- No weapons of any kind
- No profanity
- No smoking in building
- No public displays of affection
- No destruction of property
- No panhandling or soliciting
- No “high” or “drunk” intakes will be allowed
- No inappropriate attire (bare feet, unbuttoned shirts, revealing clothing).
- No pets
- No radios or TV’s after 10 p.m.
- No residents in kitchen area that are not working volunteers
“Given a fair opportunity to overcome, an intelligent presentation of social services, and a safe environment to start over, there is no reason to assume that our homeless are ‘throw away’ human beings and cannot be productive, creative, contributing members of our community, enhancing our way of life even as they build theirs,”  is part of the mission statement developed by Wallace and the others, “