By Eli Settlemire
Word on the Street Issue 48, October 2024
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Having spent my first year at Interfaith Sanctuary working the Graveyard shift, there are many things that can make anyone’s heart race. The thing that stands out as something truly unnerving to me was how alone it can feel with only 2 staff members in a dark building throughout the night. It is as if you are on a ship in the middle of the ocean at night and your boat can be rocked or even capsized at the will of what lurks in the void around you. At any moment, a quiet and peaceful night can become a high pressure emergency or situation that requires us to face strange or unknown, even aggressive characters at odd hours. When there are two of us, our responsibility is less daunting, but there have been times where I was the only Staff member on duty for the duration of night. When things get out of control and you are solely responsible for the safety and well being of all occupants within the building, it can seem like a situation out of a bad dream. I remember this grand responsibility being the primary source of anxiety when facing any situation or emergency that posed a risk to our Guests and building and the thing at the forefront of my mind when playing a solo role. When we have a teammate to tackle the night, however, this anxiety is quelled and the situation becomes manageable again. Facing the night by yourself is something that no one should be expected to do and I am thankful that it has become a thing of the past for obvious safety reasons. While we have nothing but activity in the daytime, our Overnight Team has a vastly different role and it takes hardy individuals to operate our shelter while we all sleep. The sun doesn’t shine much upon our Graveyard crew, so remember that without them, we have no guardians at night to protect our Shelter and brave the dark.
