BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. — A ribbon cutting for the Eastern Panhandle’s newest Women’s Shelter is set to take place Saturday.

The Hope House, 47 Union Street in Berkeley Springs, marks the fruition of a years-long effort by the Morgan County Homeless Coalition to provide temporary housing for more women.

Saturday also marks the day the baton is handed off from the MCHC to the Martinsburg Union Rescue Mission through a mutual agreement.

The Homeless Coalition is renting and restoring the structure owned by a local church to turn it into a nine-bed unit year-round Women’s shelter.  Martinsburg Union Rescue Mission Superintendent Tim Guerino talked about the importance of having a shelter for women.

He said during the last year, he was approached with the idea of bringing the Morgan County Homeless Coalition under the MURM umbrella as a partnership.

As for the event Saturday, which runs from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m., Guerino said the day will be full of activities.

Both the Hope House in Berkeley Springs and the Haven House (currently known as the 604 Project) in Martinsburg, are set for a November opening, according to Pastor Guerino.

Pastor Tim Guerino was a guest on Tuesday’s Panhandle Live, which can be heard weekday mornings on The Panhandle News Network from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.  You can hear his full interview on the podcast from that day here.