'Coats for Kids' campaign get special donation

Snowy weather has most of us reaching for a coat to keep warm. But, that's a luxury some people cannot afford. <br><br>The Jim Giles 'Coats for Kids' campaign is underway to remedy that.

Wednesday, November 28th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Snowy weather has most of us reaching for a coat to keep warm. But, that's a luxury some people cannot afford.

The Jim Giles 'Coats for Kids' campaign is underway to remedy that. Coats for Kids relies on the generosity of people to donate coats for those who don't have one. Tuesday, one special person made the largest single donation the campaign has ever seen.

Yale Cleaners at 21st and Yale was busier than usual early Tuesday morning with a large donation to the Coats For Kids campaign. Virginia Anderson has donated before and knows what it's like when times get tough. "I know it's cold. I get cold real easy and somebody can be warm. I've seen too many kids without coats." Anderson donated more than 160 coats to Yale Cleaners. Coats she found in a dumpster, discarded and smoke damaged. They'd been in a fire at a local clothing store. She washed each one and says it turned into a family project. "I had a couple of my kids help me. They all helped wash and fold, and stack and tie and all that stuff.â€

The folks at Yale Cleaners say they've never seen a donation this big in the 15 years they've been involved with Coats for Kids. Yale Cleaners manager John Irick, "I was pretty much stupefied when I came in and heard about it. All the employees told me about it right when I walked in the door. And I've never seen a donation that big."

The coats will be dry cleaned, washed and delivered to Catholic Charities, raised from the ashes to keep little ones warm this winter. You can help someone else stay warm this winter by giving to Giles Coats For Kids. Drop off your new or gently used coats at any Yale Cleaners location through December 31st.

Catholic Charities will distribute them to children and adults in need. A lot of people would be left in the cold without the donations of people like Virginia Anderson.