No one can really predict the weather, but a chill in the morning air and the coming of Christmas are sure fire signs it’s time for The News Observer’s annual Coats for Kids drive.
This week kicks off the 17th year of the annual effort that provides warm winter coats for the less fortunate among us.
As in previous years, readers are offered a free, one-year subscription to the newspaper in return for a new winter coat. We’ll accept any size, from infants all the way up to 4X in mens and womens sizes. No coat ever goes to waste.
And like last year, we’re asking that readers also donate a blanket. While this is not required for a subscription, there is a great need. Coats and blankets are often given away at the same time, to the same families.
Blankets should be full size or larger, since we’ve found this is the greatest need.
Coats for Kids began as a partnership with the Fannin County Empty Stocking Program to make sure every child the program serves gets a warm winter coat.
The newspaper still partners with Empty Stocking to meet its needs, but Coats for Kids has expanded over the years to include any child who needs a coat.
The program works the same as in years past.
Coats and blankets can be dropped off at The News Observer office Wednesday, October 13, through Thursday, October 28, between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The office is located across from the Ingles Shopping Center and next door to Blue Ridge Yamaha.
They can also be dropped off at Walmart in Blue Ridge at the service desk daily between October 13 and 28 from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.
The coats and blankets will be distributed at Fannin County Family Connection Monday, November 1, through Wednesday, November 3, from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. and Thursday, November 4, from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m.
The Coats for Kids subscription offer is available to all The News Observer’s readers. Those in the local area will receive the print edition of the newspaper along with full digital access, while out-of-town readers will receive the digital edition.