Annual community coat drive successful

It will be a warmer winter for many area families this year. The 18th annual Community Coat Drive was a wonderful success, with 311 coats collected locally and 238 coats distributed at four sites, Sunset Elementary, Salnave Elementary, Westwood Middle School and Feed Cheney.

All of the coats not distributed were donated to the Cheney Community Clothing Exchange. Twenty-seven miscellaneous items were donated and distributed as well.

First of all, thank you to Margie Lindner and the local Kiwanis who did all of the transporting of coats. Thanks also to Clint Sewright of Tomlinson West Plains for connecting us with Coats 4 Kids and supplying us with collection of bags and boxes. AAA Storage donated space for coats to be stored and Copy Junction ran fliers for the annual event.

All of the coats were laundered prior to distribution, thanks to many local individuals and to Greg and Lee Throop of Big Wash in Cheney. Thanks, also, to the Cheney Free Press for promoting the event.

Thanks to all of the local schools, churches and businesses that had collection boxes. This is a great example of what a community working together can do.

Carol Kriegh

Cheney