Fall is here, and with it comes leaf piles, windy days and chilly mornings. Warm jackets are essential to New England weather, but some families are unable to support this cost. Fortunately, the Knights of Columbus hosts its annual “Coats for Kids” drive to provide needy families with the outerwear necessary to stay warm this winter.
All this weekend, September 23, 24 and 25, the Knights of Columbus Council 9058 of Hampstead will be collecting winter jackets for children and young adults. Council members will be available from 10 a.m. to
4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday. Collection will take place at the Church Hall of St. Anne’s Catholic Church, located at 26 Emerson Avenue in Hampstead.
All varieties of coats are welcome, from light windbreakers to heavy snow jackets. However, coats must be clean, in good shape and functioning (intact zippers and enclosures) to be accepted. Coats are the only clothing item being accepted at this drive, so please do not bring excess donations.
Since being founded in March of 1982 in New Haven, Connecticut, the Knights of Columbus have grown from its original 32 members to over 2 million worldwide. “Coats for Kids” is one of the group’s most successful events. More than 12,000 coats have been distributed since 2006 and donations continue to grow each year.
For more information about the Knights of Columbus and “Coats for Kids,” visit www.kofc.org/coats. To learn more about Council 9058’s upcoming coat drive, please contact Council members Tom Battaglia at 603-329-6338 or Pat Bracken at 603-329-4356.
