Project Keep Kids Warm starts

Marquette County community and church members are hoping to provide warm coats for needy kids.

Project Keep Kids Warm collects new and used winter coats in western Marquette County for area young people who may not have one. This is its fourth year.

Volunteers were busy in Ishpeming on Saturday labeling and distributing the collection bags. Many of the volunteers are area youth, but several churches in Ishpeming, Ishpeming Township and Negaunee are taking part in the project.

“The Pioneer Kiwanis has also put a lot of volunteers on the project, and they have taken bags out into the churches in the Republic–Michigamme area,” volunteer Dick Derby said. “Suddenly, what started out as about 4,000 homes being asked to contribute to the project, now it’s up to 7,000.”

The bags will be collected next Saturday, October 19th. Then the coats will be given away free of charge at the Ishpeming Armory on Saturday, the 26th.

“Please remember to make a donation to help a neighbor or someone in need in the community,” Derby said. “Sometimes, people’s good intentions are forgotten.”

Anyone who didn’t receive a bag can still donate items to Project Keep Kids Warm. The Ishpeming St. Vincent de Paul store, the Ishpeming Salvation Army and participating churches can all accept them.