By Diane Petryk and Gina Morton
DANVILLE — One spunky octogenarian in flapper dress worked fundraising magic Sunday, turning a Roaring ’20s-themed tea into $2,300 for the Gate House Homeless Shelter.
Lois Gensil, whose daughters debated whether she was 82 or 83, but opted to go with the lower number, didn’t sit down except to have her picture taken at the end of the event, orchestrating a dance lesson, raffle of 17 donated gift baskets and an old-time sing-along, while volunteers served beverages and elegant snacks.
Most of the 40 guests arrived in appropriate period dress with Nancy Wagner, of Riverside, sporting a black sheath with layered fringe that accented her demonstration of the Charleston.
Fifteen of the guests tried the “touch-step, touch-step” as Wagner instructed, accompanied by Danville’s Kay Heim on the piano. Later, Heim and Suzanne Walzer, visiting from West Palm Beach, teamed up, singing and guitar playing, respectively, to enliven some old-fashioned songs like “Has Anybody Seen My Gal?”
Gensil, a retired gym teacher, is on the Gate House board and has dedicated herself to getting the facility back on sound financial footing since it lost most of its endowment in the recent stock market crash.
The shelter opened in 1995 after local residents established there was a critical need. Clients must be from Columbia or Montour counties and are taken by referral only.
Gensil, who has served on the board for about 10 years, was upset that the help it gives had to be curtailed.
“We’re turning people away,” she said. “It’s so sad.”
Her daughters, Sue Jensen, of Danville, and Vicki Smith, of Mifflinburg, said Gensil’s interest in the shelter is a natural offshoot of her caring for the hungry by founding the Jubilee Kitchen in Danville nearly 20 years ago. The operation served free meals to the poor on Saturdays.
Gate House Director Cheryl Hornberger said it costs about $8,000 a month to run the shelter when it’s near capacity, which is about three families and 15 individuals. Last year, the shelter housed about 15 children from newborn to age 16, she said, and the families stayed 60 days to six months.
Normally, the shelter gets a state grant, but this year’s has been held up by the state budget delay, Hornberger said.
The board is waiting to hear if it will get the two-year, $135,000 grant for operating expenses for which it has applied. Board President Bill Klink said the likelihood is it will be a one-year grant for less money.
Due to the financial crunch, there are only two people staying at the shelter, a drop from 41 earlier this year, Hornberger said. She said she hopes the problem will be resolved by Nov. 1.
“I’m refusing people every day,” she said. “I’m refusing families with children every day because we don’t have the money to do what we need to do.”
The Gate House has six rooms and a staff area downstairs that can be turned into housing space with cots if needed.
Money received through donations and events covers day-to-day expenses, including utilities and food, she said, which is why fundraisers, like the one Gensil arranged, are vital.
“The bottom line is it’s getting real cold out there, people are in their vehicles, in the streets, because our hands are tied,” Hornberger said. “Whatever help may be out there, we need it and as soon as possible. We need to get these people into a warm facility where there is food. Now, there just isn’t anything we can do.”
In Sunbury, Cathy Teisher, executive director of Haven Ministries, said the shelter saw an increase in food requests, which she believes was due to the state budget delay and state workers not receiving paychecks. She said the 20 people housed there now is about average, but once the budget was passed, food requests were back to normal levels.
Teisher said the food bank is well supplied. “Churches and individuals are very generous. There’s more of a need, but those who are able to give are giving more.”
A United Way organization, the facility is supported primarily by churches, organizations and individuals. Money donated goes to general operating expenses.
