Project Warmth Underway

Despite the forecast, there are plenty of cold days and nights ahead before Spring comes and plenty of people that could use a blanket to keep them warm. <br/><br/>As News on 6 reporter Rick Wells explains

Tuesday, January 2nd 2007, 10:00 am

By: News On 6

Despite the forecast, there are plenty of cold days and nights ahead before Spring comes and plenty of people that could use a blanket to keep them warm.

As News on 6 reporter Rick Wells explains "Project Warmth" is designed to help and you can get involved.

Warm blankets for folks who need them. For three years, the News on 6, LaMode Cleaners, Western Sun Credit Union and Volunteers of America have partnered on "Project Warmth." "I feel like my company is finding a way to give back to the community." Jim Light owner of LaMode Cleaners finished Leadership Tulsa in 2003 and was looking for a way to help the community; Project Warmth is the result. There were coat drives but no blanket drives. "To me it seemed like a real natural thing."

They could clean the blankets before they were distributed and that's what they've done.
About 4,000 blankets a year have been processed that way and distributed by Volunteers of America.

The first year, lots of blankets went to the Tent City down by the Arkansas River. Tent City is now gone but the need elsewhere is just as great, and Light says he's been impressed by people's generosity. "If they don't have anything in the closet to donate, they'll go buy new ones and give us new ones."

He says his employees are involved as well, many of them working the project on their own time. "They've contributed and they feel good about their part in this as well. So I think it's been a win-win for everybody."