AMBOY —Rosalie Koldan and Shirley Guay, owners of Amboy Arts & Antiques located at 231 E. Main Street, started a collection for the PADS Women and Children’s Homeless shelter before the holidays.

Koldan saw a wish list they published of their needs for the new facility. She and her partner Guay decided to help by accepting donations for the new shelter.

The house (soon to be shelter) located at 203 W. Everett Street, in Dixon, was donated to PADS and they have worked all year fixing in up. The organization provides temporary housing for individuals, food and services to those in need. They hope to open the new facility by February 2019.

“We are very fortunate to live in a place where when you say help is needed, everybody steps up,” Koldan said.

At Amboy Food and Liquor, directly across the street from Amboy Arts & Antiques, people were asked to purchase an item at the store and it was donated right there.

“Thanks to Amboy Food for not hesitating and to help,” Koldan said. “The donations came flooding in at both locations. Within a week, we had well over 300 items.”

Guay and Koldan could not be more thankful to the generosity of their community with this immediate response and willingness to help others. It’s nice to know the shelves at the shelter will be filled with shampoos, lotions, toothbrushes, hairbrushes, bath wash, deodorant, and many more personal care items.

You can visit Dixon PADS Homeless shelter or their Facebook page for updates. And for more information on how you can help by calling 815-288-6818 or emailing dixonpads@comcast.net.