The Villages Elementary School of Lady Lake will serve as a shelter during Hurricane Milton.
The school is located at 695 Rolling Acres Road.
The shelter has the capacity to house 611 people, according to principal Greg Dudley. Thirty-six area resident had signed up by mid-afternoon Tuesday and principal Dudley anticipates many more will sign up Wednesday.
Lake County residents in flood-prone areas or mobile homes are being encouraged to seek shelter by 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Principal Dudley also noted that three dogs and two cats have already been registered. Pets will be house in a separate area from the people and must be crated. Dudley asked that people bring proof of vaccinations if they have those available but if the pet’s records can’t be found people and their pets will not be turned away.
Residents are encouraged to bring necessary supplies such as medication, bedding, and a pet carrier or crate.
This shelter may be particularly appealing for residents living in manufactured homes on the Historic Side of The Villages. The school was used as a shelter in 2017 during Hurricane Irma.
Residents who need help getting to a shelter should call the Citizens Information Line to schedule their travel. LakeXpress, Lake County’s fixed-route bus system, will be providing free rides on Wednesday to travelers who state they need to be taken to a shelter. Free rides will continue to be given until conditions become unsafe. Riders must tell the driver they are going to a shelter to use the free ride.