BRAD HORN/Nevada Appeal Dee Dee Foremaster, director of Do Drop In, makes calls to help Catarino Vasquez and his family. Vasquez is pictured with his 15-day-old son, Edgar.
Property owner JoAnn Sheerin has given the Do Drop In, a day center for the homeless and location of the Rural Center for Independent Living, a 30-day extension from its eviction date of Dec. 15.
Dee Dee Foremaster, director of the Rural Center for Independent Living and Do Drop In, was served a 30-day notice in November to vacate the center, located at 411 Hot Springs Road, No. 4, by Dec. 15.
Foremaster met with Sheerin on Thursday morning to discuss the eviction. Prior to the meeting, Foremaster said she hoped Sheerin would change her mind and honor the one-year lease signed in July. In the meantime, Foremaster said, she has been looking for another location.
"I have been looking hard," she said. "I met with Carson City Manager Linda Ritter, and supervisors Shelly Aldean and Pete Livermore, and they're looking to see what the city might have to provide."
Sheerin told Foremaster at their meeting she should continue to look aggressively for a more suitable location.
"I have been in contact with Pete Livermore and Shelly Aldean and they have given their promise to help (Foremaster) find a more suitable location," Sheerin said.
"I'm not telling them to be out today or tomorrow. I am extending the time a bit longer, but it's not indefinite. I've given her a month or so."
Sheerin said it is not an easy decision to evict a client, but she has to look out for the entire commercial center.
"It's not that we don't appreciate what they do, but it needs to be in a more appropriate location," she said.
"I'm excited it's worked out this way," Foremaster said. "JoAnn offered to give us the extra time. We're grateful to her for giving us the extension."
Full-time volunteer office manager Shirley Moriarty said they have been telling clients one by one about the extension.
"They are ecstatic," Moriarty said. "Just ecstatic."
A fundraising concert was held Wednesday evening at the Carson City Library for the Do Drop In. Moriarty said $1,030 was raised.
"One lady signed over her extra DMV rebate check to us," she added.
Foremaster said she is hoping and praying she can find something that will work for them.
"I am glad we can settle down now and have Christmas," she said. "And be able to continue to provide services until we find our new home.
"We have no timeline other than hoping something will work out, soon."
"If we put our heads together I'm sure we can find something suitable," Sheerin said. "It's a good mix to have the supervisors' help - I appreciate their help. It's something positive to work out."
Foremaster welcomes calls at 841-2580 from anyone who can help with a possible location for the centers.
-- Contact Rhonda Costa-Landers at rcosta-landers@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1223.
