Project Keep Kids Warm set for Saturday

Thousands of coats and warm–weather gear are ready to be passed out to children in need.

Project Keep Kids Warm has been collecting coats, mittens, and gloves for the past few weeks.  On Saturday, October 26 the clothes will be at the Ishpeming Armory and given to children in need from 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

“We have many, many items:  jackets, snow pants, boots, gloves for age infant all the way up to age eighteen, and they’ll be divided onto tables that are all marked with the various sizes for both boys and girls,” Project Keep Kids Warm Coordinator Richard Derby said.

“We just ask people to come and enjoy a day of picking up what they need to keep their kids warm through the winter.  That’s what this is all about, is having these children come in who might not have the winter clothing that they need, and when they go out the door they have warm jackets and snow pants.”

Derby said Project Keep Kids Warm could not be so successful without the generous donations from people in the community.

“This project actually spans a lot of time, and we’ve had donations that came in at the first of the year,” he said.  “We were able to take advantage of a lot of sales at stores when winter items had gone on sale, and now of course we’ve had the clothing drive through the neighborhoods.”

“As always, people have been very generous in putting out slightly used–or brand new clothing in many cases–and we always say ‘thank you’ to everyone who’s contributed.”

Donations can still be made after Saturday’s event.  People can take donations to the Salvation Army in Ishpeming, or the St. Vincent de Paul stores in Negaunee, Ishpeming, or Republic-Michigamme.