As storms approach, Cobb opens school to mobile home residents
With severe storms approaching, Cobb County is inviting residents from a Kennesaw mobile home community to spend the night at Hayes Elementary School.
Doors opened at 7 p.m. for families who live in the Castle Lake mobile homes, according to a spokesman with the Cobb school district. Teachers sent a letter home with Hayes students Wednesday afternoon advising their parents of the temporary shelter.
"These are our children and our families, our focus is on the Castle Lake Mobile Home community, but certainly anybody who needs shelter from the storms is welcome," said Missy Owen, a school counselor.
About 100 students from Castle Lake attend Hayes Elementary. The mobile home community was hit hard by the previous storms.
Owen said about 30 people arrived shortly after the doors opened at 7 p.m., but by 9 p.m., more than 100 people were at the school to take shelter.
Mary Huiel, a resident at Castle Lake, said she went to Hayes Elementary after a friend called, they needed to evacuate the mobile home community.
"It's better safe than sorry," said Huiel, 63. "It's a little safer here. My mobile home is surrounded by trees, big trees, and I always think about (what would happen) if they fall."
Food and drink will be provided but blankets and pillows will not be available, the spokesman said.
School officials request those taking advantage of the shelter arrive as close to 7 p.m. as possible. Lights out is scheduled for 10 p.m.
Hayes is located at 1501 Kennesaw Due West Road.
AJC photographer Curtis Compton contributed to this article
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
