LEXINGTON, N.C.– Words could not express how Crisis Ministries Director Gayle Whitehead felt when she heard the organization’s bed bug problem could soon be gone.
For months, the shelter has been dealing with a bed bug infestation, that threatened to close the shelter.
“I’m just do thankful,” Whitehead said.
Whitehead said it started when a homeless man, who unknowingly had bed bugs, stayed at the shelter.
“We thought we had the problem contained, but we were wrong,” Whitehead said.
The bed bugs started repopulating and are in 28 of the 48 beds in the men’s dorm. Whitehead said they are now spreading to the women’s dorm.
“We have children over at that dorm. I hate to see them go through this,” Whitehead said.
Pest Management Systems in Greensboro heard about their situation and offered to help, by treating the shelter for free.
The company says it will start the 12 hour treatment in mid-June.
However, Whitehead says they’re still in need of money and is asking Davidson County Commissioners for $70,000 to replace the beds, as well as the furniture at the shelters.
“It’s not in our budget. That’s probably all the money we have to operate on for the whole summer,” Whitehead said.
In the meantime, Whitehead says they’ll treat the beds for the 94 residents currently living at the shelter.
Davidson County Commissioners will meet June 6 to discuss the request.
