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ST. PETERSBURG — On his 10th night in a row of volunteering at a local soup kitchen, Tim Rudenis started to notice their hands.
Some of the faces before him on Monday night were new, others familiar. But Rudenis noticed the trembling hands. Some of the paper plates they held buckled when he placed a piece of roasted chicken on them. They were that cold.
This is the first time that cold night shelters in Pinellas County have opened this many days in a row. The marathon is putting a strain on supplies like food and blankets.
Volunteers like Rudenis, who was paying a babysitter to take care of his daughter last night because his wife works nights, are wearily keeping up with the pace. Rudenis says it's worth it.
"You start to see what it's like being homeless," said Rudenis, 50, of St. Petersburg, a hairstylist who is volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club of the Suncoast in Pinellas Park. "That makes your efforts worth it."
For others, the extended cold spell is testing their good will.
"This is the longest cold spell we've had, and I've been doing this for 18 years," said Jim Leiby, 61, of who runs the cold shelter. "I need to sleep."
In Pinellas, the shelters open whenever the temperature dips below 40. Last year, that happened 10 times, including four days in a row, said Michael Amidei, the coordinator.
This time, Amidei was expecting the cold snap to last through Wednesday. If the shelters open tonight, it will be the 11th night in a row.
Reach Luis Perez at lperez@sptimes.com or (727)892-2271.
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