
Leticia Silva, former shelter coordinator for Catholic Charities, works with Christopher Turben at the La Crosse Warming Center. Turben is among the homeless people Silva works with.
Leticia Silva was supposed to move to Madison last month so she and her boyfriend could finally spend time together under the same roof. But when “safer at home” arrived in the Coulee Region, she postponed those plans so she could keep a roof over others.
Silva had just stepped down from serving as shelter coordinator for Catholic Charities when COVID-19 struck La Crosse County.
That experience put her in a position to serve as a critical player — among several other hidden heroes — in arranging safe conditions for people who use the La Crosse Warming Center because they have no home.
Suddenly, the center went from being open 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. to a 24/7 operation that required social distancing — and a lot more space to accomplish that.
So within two days, Silva and a team of like-minded colleagues from the Salvation Army and the Coulee Collaborative to End Homelessness moved the shelter to Cathedral School, reserving the shelter for people quarantined after exposure and isolation for anyone who caught the disease.
With the move and expanded hours came a need for more meals, more hand-washing stations, portable toilets, showers and around-the-clock cleaning — all of which cost money that was never budgeted.
JavaVino, Beer By Bike Brigade and The Waterfront Restaurant and Tavern stepped in to help with the meals, and Stansfield Vending donated $10,000 to help cover the food costs. Another $200,000 in funding came from the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration through the La Crosse Area Emergency Response Fund to help cover the rest.
At the same time, the expanded operation demanded more volunteers and staff, about 70 volunteers needed to step back: many because they’re older and more vulnerable to coronavirus. Others were health care providers who did not want to risk exposing guests to the virus if they caught it on the job.
People like Silva stepped back in to coordinate the center, and social workers from La County Health & Human Services helped staff it. Gundersen Health System and St. Clare Health Mission also sent team members to help.
“It has been so fascinating to see what is happening here,” said Silva, referring to the unprecedented collaboration among organizations and businesses. “Knowing that our agency has such a strong support system, gives us hope.”
In her coordinator position, Silva had been on call every day and night when the warming center was open, and she typically worked from noon to 7 p.m. six days a week.
During “safer at home,” she’s still on call but has also been working from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. throughout the week. She also goes in on weekends to make sure staff, who are now working longer hours as well, are doing OK.
Since the arrival of COVID-19, hand sanitizer has become a feature as important as brakes in Silva’s car, and she’s amassed a vast collection of face masks, even creating a system for tracking which are clean and which need laundering. And with all the clothing changes, Silva has been spending $45 a week just to do her laundry; it’s $45 she doesn’t have to spare.
Silva admits that she caught herself thinking a couple of times about getting COVID-19. After a guest was tested for the disease, she had to go into quarantine until the results came back.
“At one point, I’m lying there thinking I’m so crazy I signed up for this,” she said. “I know that I could potentially get sick, but right now this population needs all hands on deck 24/7. I feel that everything is on the line right now, but this is what I am meant to do.”
Surprisingly, however, Silva says she feels safest at the shelter.
“I definitely feel safer there than going to the store. You walk into the warming shelter, and all the staff is wearing masks, and everything is clean. We go to other places and find chaos.”
But it’s been the shelter itself where Silva has seen her highest highs and lowest lows.
“One of the most distressing parts of this has been getting our guests to stay in the shelter. With so many more people caring for them, it’s shocking for them. When they leave, they can’t come back,” Silva said. “I worry about them: going to the park and having the food and clothing they need.”
A few shelter guests came in with substance-use disorders. Those who stayed have successfully detoxed and are connecting with Coulee Council on Addictions and Driftless Recovery to continue their recovery efforts after “safer at home.” The shelter’s intense case management has also helped many, including some who have been homeless for a long time, find housing and become more self-sufficient.
“I’ve seen people who are chronically homeless get their first home ever,” Silva said. I’ve seen people who haven’t been sober in many years find sobriety. It shows that all the help and support, including intensive case management we’ve been offering during this time has been setting the guests up for success.”
Silva attributes the success to the collaborative approach of many agencies and individuals in the community. Many of the agencies involved and the Collaborative to End Homelessness are accustomed to working together to address housing issues in the community. Still, Silva said the COVID-19 effort has been a step up for everyone.
“Local groups are collaborating more than ever,” she said. “And knowing that our agency has such a strong support system, gives us hope. Our thank-you list is growing every day.”
It may even be growing as quickly as the list of reasons people have to thank Silva.
The May 31 event was hosted by the Wisconsin National Guard and funded by the federal government.
Primitive Parlor Salon & Barber

Levi Tanner, co-owner of Primitive Parlor Salon & Barber gives Austin Acor a haircut Wednesday in his shop at 200 Main St. Tanner announced Sunday evening on Facebook that he was reopening Monday. It took 40 minutes for his schedule to book up solid for his first two weeks back.
Downtown La Crosse

Chris Schlicht exits Deaf Ear Records, 112 S. Fourth St., on May 19 in downtown La Crosse. The record store that also offers comics, games and collectables, is among the many local retail businesses that are coming out of lockdown and returning to in-person operations. “I’m kind of surprised,” said Jason Mills, the store’s owner. “We’re much more busy than I thought we would be,” said Mills, “Business has been steady but not overwhelming.”
Cameron Park Farmers Market

Richard Klindworth of Go Boy Dough Breads & Pastries puts out fresh muffins, scones, breads, pies and cookies at his vendor area May 15 before the season opening of the Cameron Park Farmers Market. The market has adopted a number of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, including hand-washing stations and curbside pick-up. Hours are 4 p.m. to dusk Fridays and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through October.
Dewey’s Side Street Saloon

Dewey’s Side Street Saloon bartender Brenda Devine waits on customers May 14. The tavern at 621 St. Paul St. on La Crosse’s North Side opened the previous evening shortly after a ruling from the Wisconsin Supreme Court invalidating Gov. Tony Evers' “safer at home” order.
Debo’s Vintage Emporium

Deb Heiden, owner of Debo’s Vintage Emporium at 1232 Caledonia St., opened her doors for business May 10 for the first time since mid-March. Gov. Tony Evers announced that nonessential standalone or strip-mall based retailers can reopen if they limit walk-in customers to five at a time.
Washburn Community Garden

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse education major Alex Keller tends to plants in the hoop house at the Washburn Community Garden. Instead filling his graduation requirements by student teaching in the classroom, Keller is working for GROW, the La Crosse nonprofit group that connects children with nature and healthy food.
Logan High School

Logan High School senior Makayla Hagen picks up graduation materials April 29 during a drive-thru event where graduates were given caps, gowns, and celebratory yard signs. Just like many other traditions, the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically reshaped what graduation looks like for the class of 2020.
Golf courses open

Paul Przywojski pulls his driver from his bag April 24 on the first tee at Forest Hills Golf Course. Golf courses opened statewide April 24 with some modifications. Motorized carts are being limited to people who qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and tee times have been spread out to encourage social distancing.
Weigent Park

Caution tape surrounds the swing set April 22 at Weigent Park. Playgrounds have remained closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
AmeriCorps

Justin Holten with WisCorps AmeriCorp’s COVID-19 disaster relief crew picks up trash April 17 on the bank of the Black River in Copeland Park. The crew, that recently received a $12,022 grant from the La Crosse Area Emergency Response Fund, has been busy filling needs in the community including the river cleanup, serving meals at the Salvation Army, and preparing for spring planting a Kane Street Community Garden. On Friday crew members picked up over 240 pounds of trash in two La Crosse parks.
Food Drive Fridays underway

Marissa Dickinson, a volunteer with Rotary Club of La Crosse-After Hours, loads food donations onto a Hunger Task Force truck during Friday’s food drive at the La Crosse County Courthouse. The La Crosse County Health Department is teaming up with iFeed, Rotary and Rotary Lights to hold “Food Drive Fridays," a drive-thru style food drive where donors don’t get out of their vehicles. Collections will be held 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays through the end of May at the Valley View Mall parking lot, the Big Lots parking, 3960 Mormon Coulee Road, and the north courthouse parking lot.
Jackson Plaza

A sign reads “We Are Open” April 10 outside of Bean Juice coffee shop in Jackson Plaza. The strip mall is home to 20 businesses, and all are being challenged by the COVID-19 crisis in unique ways.
Cameron Park

Denise Milton, a member of the leadership team at Bridges Church in La Crosse, reads April 10 from a Stations of the Cross display the church set up in Cameron Park. With places of worship not exempt from Gov. Tony Evers' safer-at-home order, parishioners have had to get creative to celebrate Easter.
King Gambrinus

A face mask covers the nose and mouth of the King Gambrinus statue Tuesday at the corner of State and Front streets in La Crosse. The weathered steel statue of the patron saint and guardian of beer was commissioned by the G. Heileman Brewing Co. and completed by Galesville artist Elmer Petersen in 1980. Click here to see photos of 30 other public art statues in La Crosse.
Wisconsin voters woke up Tuesday with the choice to still head to the polls for the spring election, despite the present threat of the COVID-1…
Downtown La Crosse

A message on the marquee at the Rivoli Theatre serves as a reminder of the toll COVID-19 has taken on the local economy. Revenue from sales, room taxes to take huge hit in La Crosse area counties, and the pandemic puts La Crosse area arts venues in limbo.
Mayo Health System

Mayo Health System Patient Access Specialist Sue Lay, accompanied by her granddaughters, Elise Bittner, 6, left, and Olivia Bittner, 4, waves goodbye to her co-workers April 3 during a retirement send-off to cap her 39-year career at the health care provider. Practicing social distancing, Lay’s colleagues sent her warm wishes from their cars, in lieu of a traditional retirement potluck they had to cancel due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
RSVP volunteers make face masks

RSVP Volunteer Coordinator Ruth Kinstler picks up a batch of completed face masks March 30 from a house in Holmen. Volunteers and staff at RSVP have been busy producing masks primarily for people in nursing homes in La Crosse and Monroe counties.
Rosie's Cafe in La Crosse

Teresa Kerns, who owns Rosie’s Café with her husband Doug, prepares to-go orders March 27 at the eatery at 2225 S. 16th St in La Crosse. The South Side neighborhood hub has managed to do a reasonable amount of business during the take-out or delivery only period imposed on restaurants and bars by Governor Tony Evers during the COVID-19 outbreak. Click here to read more.
Jen Rombalski

La Crosse County Health Department Director Jen Rombalski prepares for one of her many meetings on March 27. "There is nothing else on my calendar right now (other) than COVID-19,” said Rombalski of her work. Click here to read Tribune reporter Emily Pyrek's profile of Romabalski.
Warming Center meals

JavaVino owner Tina Schumaker prepares chili-mac March 26 in her restaurant's kitchen on La Crosse’s South Side. Schumaker and other JavaVino staff started preparing lunches every day for the La Crosse Warming Center when it moved to Cathedral School March 23. Schumacher, who is providing the meals with financial assistance from English Lutheran Church, will continue to do so as long as the need continues during the center’s expanded hours during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Breakfast Club & Pub and The Waterfront Restaurant also are preparing meals for warming center residents.
Trane. Co.

Trane temporally closed a La Crosse plant March 24 after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
Rudy's Drive-In

Rudy’s Drive-In owner Gary Rudy puts out cones March 26 before its planned opening in La Crosse. Rudy is using the cones to close off every other parking spot to create space between customers as a precaution against the novel coronavirus.
Online art classes

Lori Ehlke of Onalaska, a middle school art teacher and mother of four, draws with her oldest son Ian, 9, in their home art studio. Since the COVID-19 school closures started last week, the Ehlkes have created their own art tutorial videos and a YouTube channel.
Essential electricity

Workers with MJ electric transfer wires from an old utility pole to a new one March 23 at the corner of Monitor Street and Copeland Avenue in La Crosse. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced a safer-at-home order that will close all nonessential businesses in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Crafting at home

Shelli Kult of Onalaska has been crafting a lot more since COVID-19 made staying at home the norm. "I went from about 10 hours to about 30 hours a week," Kult said of her crafting. To read more, click here.
Downtown La Crosse

Despite remaining open, the Radisson Hotel parking lot in downtown La Crosse is nearly empty March 20, as a sign of the economic toll of COVID-19 on the economy. Some restaurants remain open for pick-up and delivery.
Blood drive

Mayo Clinic Health System medical technologist Marcia Metry gives blood after being set up by Mayo phlebotomist Rae Dehnart, left, during an employee blood drive March 19 at Mayo’s La Crosse campus.
UW-La Crosse

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse freshman Quinn Zipse of Mantorville, Minn., moves out of Sanford Hall on March 19 with the help of his mother, Amy. Students received a message outlining a plan to clear students from residence halls and have online instruction for the remainder of the semester due to COVID-19.
Downtown La Crosse

With takeout food and coffee to go, Arthur Neville-Niel walks out of Jules' Coffee on Pearl Street on March 18 in La Crosse. Some restaurants remain open for pick-up and delivery.
La Crosse County Administrative Center

Tara Johnson, La Crosse County Board chair, leads a press conference March 18 at the La Crosse County Administrative Center attended by county officials and area health care providers. For updates on the pandemic in the La Crosse area, click here.
COVID-19 testing

Mayo Clinic Health System registered nurses process specimen Mach 16 at the health care provider's COVID-19 drive-up testing site at the La Crosse campus.
La Crosse Library

Mike Danielson, maintenance supervisor with the La Crosse Public Library, wipes down tables March 13 with bleach cleaner in the teen section at the main branch. The library is closed to the public until at least April 13. Library staffers are asking for the public to share their thoughts on the pandemic's impact.
“It has been so fascinating to see what is happening here. Knowing that our agency has such a strong support system, gives us hope.” Leticia Silva, Catholic Charities shelter coordinator
The Hidden Heroes series looks at local people fighting COVID-19 and its devastation through programs supported by the La Crosse Area Emergency Response Fund. The emergency fund was established by the La Crosse Community Foundation and Great Rivers United Way in mid-March to provide funding to area nonprofits helping people directly affected by the pandemic. To date, the fund has raised more than $1 million from area donors for COVID-19 response and distributed nearly $600,000 in grants. Funds are still needed, and donations can be made online at laxcommfoundation.com.
“It has been so fascinating to see what is happening here. Knowing that our agency has such a strong support system, gives us hope.”
Leticia Silva, Catholic Charities shelter coordinator