Collecting coats for needy kids
Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Nov 01/00) - In the North the necessities of life go beyond food and shelter, and include a warm winter coat, mittens, toques and scarves.
Not everyone can afford them and the Yellowknife Fire Department and the YWCA are teaming up to make sure needy kids have warm winter clothes.
Once again, the two organizations are holding a "Coast for Kids" drive. Yellowknifers are being asked to donate new or used coats that can be distributed to the community's less fortunate families.
They want to make sure no child is left to shiver when the temperature drops to bone-chilling temperatures.
"It's intended to give clothing to disadvantaged families," said deputy fire chief Mike Lowing. Unfortunately, Lowing says donations are not coming in as quickly as they were last year.
So far the drive has resulted in a collection of about eight boxes of coats and other winter outerwear; in the past, they have usually filled between 16 and 18 boxes by now.
Because of this, organizers have extended the donation deadline to Nov. 6. People can drop coats off at the fire hall.
The collection drive is also happening earlier than usual, something Lowing hoped would result in an increase in donations.
"We're running it earlier because kids are putting on coats now and finding they don't fit so it's an opportune time to donate them," Lowing added.
Once a satisfactory amount of winter wear is brought in to the station it goes to the YWCA for distribution.
"Going from last year, we probably have about 100 people" needing items, said Lisa Holland, YWCA afterschool co-ordinator.
The YWCA will distribute items to needy families from Nov. 7 to 9 at a booth in the Centre Square Mall. "It helps other people in need since clothes for children can be quite costly."
