Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Keeping It Local

Many in our group are knitting for worthy causes. I mentioned another knitting donation opportunity last week and the director has kindly sent me information on the program. They have their coats all lined up, but need scarves, hats and mittens.

If you would like to donate knitting for the Coats for Kids, they have left a drop box at The Yarn Shoppe.

Here are the facts on the program:

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*Started in 1999 to provide winter coats to needy students in the Davenport Community Schools, Diocese of Davenport Schools, and Pleasant Valley Community Schools. The program has grown to include kids in 22 school districts in six counties in Eastern Iowa. Coats have also been distributed to children in the Illinois Quad Cities and various daycare centers.

*Provided approximately over 1,600 coats during the 2005-06 winter season.

*Named after Dr. David E. Lane, an administrator in the Davenport Schools who was on the program’s organizing committee when he died in 1999.

*Located at the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency (AEA), Bettendorf, starting in 2001.

*Depends on the donations of gently used children’s coats by local residents and monetary donations from individuals, student organizations, local organizations, and corporate sponsors.

*Collects coat donations at Burke Cleaners in the Iowa Quad-Cities which cleans the coats for distribution.

*Solicits coat “order forms” from schools and organizations which then distributes cleaned coats to these schools and organizations so they may distribute the coats to the children in need of warm coats.

*Operates on volunteer power, including a steering committee of community and school representatives, school nurses, and many other helping people.