Wareham's warming center at the Multi-Service Center saw more than 100 people at its busiest last weekend, and many depended on it to keep warm as much of the town remained in the dark following the blizzard.

"The Wareham Police Department and the fire departments have been bringing people in when their homes are too cold and they can't stay a minute longer," said Wareham Health Agent Robert Ethier, who is overseeing the center with Wareham Police Lt. John Walcek.

The shelter was busiest on Saturday evening after the storm had passed, taking utilities with it.

Officials stressed on Sunday that the warming center is just that -- a place for residents to warm up while the power is out. It is not sponsored by the Red Cross, Ethier explained, and does not have a budget for meals or other resources.

However, seeing a need to provide some food, Wareham Board of Health member Dr. Amy Wiegandt purchased food from Stop & Shop and Marc Anthony's Pizzeria on Saturday.

"Dr. Wiegandt came in and said, 'We've got to feed these people,'" Ethier said. "She's just a great resource to have here."

Town Administrator Derek Sullivan stopped by on Sunday with some more food in tow, but Ethier expected the supply to run out by Sunday afternoon. He urged residents to depend on the town warming center only for warming up.

"They donated out of their own pockets," Ethier said of Wiegandt and Sullivan.

Nearby Red Cross shelters in Fall River and Plymouth are able to offer three meals, cots, and blankets to residents, Ethier said. If you are unable to travel to those shelters, the officials at Wareham's warming center can help.

"We are encouraging everybody to go to the [Red Cross] shelters," Ethier said.

Ethier noted that he is extremely grateful for the warming center's volunteers.

One of those volunteers, Dorothy Clark, helped prepare canned soup on Sunday afternoon.

The Swifts Beach resident said she had "no electricity, no nothing" at home, so she stopped by the warming to get warm, but ended up volunteering.

Clark works as a probation officer for the Plymouth Juvenile Court. At the warming center, she spotted some of her young clients who had previously found themselves on the wrong side of the law, and said she was proud to see them step up to volunteer.

"They were making all the sandwiches, helping the elderly," she noted. "They're great."

West Wareham resident Carolyn Tintel stopped by the shelter on Sunday afternoon to charge her cell phone and to warm up with a cup of coffee.

A member of the Great Hill Estates knitting group, the Knit Wits, she said: "I couldn't even knit at home, I was so cold."

Tintel said she was happy that she made chicken soup, brownies, and other provisions in preparation for the storm, as it wasn't clear when she might get power back.

Though there was certainly coffee and warmth at the center, apparently one lucky couple discovered even more.

"We had a love connection here!" Clark noted with a smile.

"A guy came in, he was scoping out the place," she continued. "He found a woman, they were talking, and they left a little while ago!"

She joked: "They found the heat!"