‘Coats for Kids’ program hopes to winterize 150 kids in need this season

From left, Stanley, Cheatham and Novak display the program and the goods – and those coats on hand appeared to be well designed, insulated and WARM. Photos/Roger Bianchini

The Rotary Club of Front Royal and the Warren County Department of Social Services are teaming up to introduce “Coats for Kids” to the community this holiday season.  At a November 30 press conference at the Warren County Government Center, County Administrator Doug Stanley, Warren County Department of Social Services Director DeAnna Cheatham and current Front Royal Rotary President Rick Novak gathered to get that word out – and that word is that there are children in this community whose families do not have the resources to clothe them adequately against frigid winter temperatures.  AND “Coats for Kids” aims to help correct that situation.

Despite a late start – Stanley said development of the program here began just two weeks ago – the goal is to collect enough money to provide outdoor winter coats for 150 children before the year’s end.  As noted in their publicity signage, a $20 donation will provide the necessary funds to buy one winter coat through the program.  So, $3,000 will have to be raised to meet that goal.

Through Rotary Novak has committed a minimum $1,000 donation to “Coats for Kids” from the multi-sponsored “Embers” holiday season concert at the Warren County High School auditorium tonight, Thursday, November 30.  Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show, seen up and down the east coast, starts at 7 p.m. sharp – so don’t be late.

Winchester Rotary established “Coats for Kids” and Stanley said that club hopes to provide around 800 winter coats for that community’s children in need this year.

“We’d rather start modestly than skip an entire year,” Novak said of the initial goals for Front Royal and Warren County.

Stanley said the local “Coats for Kids” partnership will be doing fundraisers for the program and will have about 20 donation boxes placed throughout the community.

“I know this community is very giving and I don’t have any qualms about being able to raise the funding,” Stanley stated.  While the kickoff is focused on getting winter coats out this Christmas season, the long-term goal is a year-round effort.

“Unfortunately there are kids in our community that go without the basic needs,” Stanley observed.  Social Services Director Cheatham noted her department had already received a number of inquiries about the availability of such assistance in recent weeks as winter flirts with us – “Folks who are looking for coats, jackets, blankets for their children.

“So it’s really a blessing to be able to do this in the community; and all the proceeds that are raised in the community will help children that live in the community.  So again, we’re really fortunate to be able to take on this endeavor,” Cheatham said of the “Coats for Kids” Program.  Available coat sizes range from very young to young adult, high-school aged.

Warren County’s ‘Coats for Kids’ trio discuss a need within our community.

“And we’re going to kind of marry it up with our Doc Smith Christmas Basket Program,” Stanley added.  That program, which former Town Councilman Bret Hrbek is heavily involved in Stanley noted, provides food, including seasonal hams and turkeys for needy families in the community.  It is a long-established program started by a former town police chief that typically provides 125 to 175 food boxes of food to needy local families each Christmas.  So where the needs overlap some families may find winter clothes for their children coming with those seasonal meals.

Coats for Kids and the Doc Smith Christmas Baskets embrace the spirit of giving at the heart of the Christmas season.  And just like our “Coats for Kids” trio, we feel confident this community’s more fortunate will again embrace that spirit.