by PAMELA ROBINSON Register Staff Writer
Thanks to the annual Coats for Kids drive, many kids and adults are getting a coat to help keep them warm this winter.
The drive, which started this year Nov. 18 and goes through Dec. 11, has been a great success in Gainesville and the surrounding communities the past few years.
Coats are donated and collected by churches, businesses, individuals and brought to the Dry Clean Super Center. From there they are cleaned and sorted and then sent off with someone who needs the coat.
David Hampton, who is spear-heading the third annual drive, is a crusader of sorts.
He sees it as his personal mission to get the surrounding communities involved in giving to others during the holiday season by bringing in a coat for someone of any age.
Toddlers, teenagers, babies and every age of adults all need coats, and some can not afford to go buy one right now.
“Its a total community project,” Hampton said, “all the churches, all the schools are involved.”
“I ask the churches, the ministers and pastors,” Hampton said, “I talk to them.”
We ask them to make an announcement to their congregation and to have a box available so people can donate the coats.
“Everyone has a coat in their closet that they don’t wear or they have outgrown,” Hampton said. “Some people can’t afford a coat or can’t get a coat. I like to keep everybody warm, so it’s something I can do to help the community that supports me.”
Hampton said because he lives here and makes his business here, “I would just as soon help the community in every opportunity I can.”
Last year the community, including the churches, retailers, banks, Chamber of Commerce, Winstar, hospital, Home Depot and college gathered and distributed 2,300 coats. The Rotary, Optimist and Kiwanis Clubs also participate.
He said that for him the project started in 1988 when he was in the Rowlett Rotary Club and the church approached him to clean some coats that had been donated. He made it a Rotary project and involved the whole community and they gathered, cleaned and distributed 4,000 coats.
Coats for Kids needs help to gather, collect, clean and then distribute the many coats for people that need them.
Hampton said if anyone wants to help in any way or need more information e-mail him at smoothsales@tx.rr.com or call him at (940) 665-0048.
