Kiwanis Club coat drive to kick off this weekend

CASPER, Wyo. — With winter quickly approaching, staying warm is going to become even more important. For those in Casper and Natrona County, the Kiwanis Club of Casper’s coat drive aims to make sure nobody goes cold.

The annual coat drive will make its return on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Salvation Army Hope Center, 144 S. Center St.

“It’s going to be getting really, really cold,” Kiwanis Club president Jennifer Cole said. “We want to make sure everyone is warm and safe when the conditions get bad.”

Though the club calls it a coat drive, there is far more available than just coats. Families can also find gloves, mittens, scarves, hats and more. The clothes are free, and Cole said no ID or proof of income is required.

Cole said the club is asking that families take only one item per member, in order to aid as many people as possible.

For those who want to donate clothing items, people can drop items off at one of several sites throughout the community. According to Cole, drop-off sites include First Interstate Bank; Hilltop Bank; Platte Valley Bank; Jonah Bank; ANB Bank; Porter, Muirhead, Cornia & Howard; WyHy FCU; Wind City Physical Therapy; Cadillac Cowgirl; the Humane Society; Wyo Ortho; the Millview Laundromat; and the Salvation Army Hope Center.

Cole said the club is seeking donations of all sorts of winter gear in all variety of sizes, for both children and adults. However, she added that the biggest donation need is for boys coats.

“A lot of people will go and buy cute girls coats and then donate them, which is great,” she said, “but it leaves a bit of a shortage in coats for the boys.”

Other pickup days at the Hope Center are scheduled for Nov. 16 and Nov. 30. Each event will similarly run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“This is something we’ve done for a long time,” Cole said. “It’s something we’ve been doing for at least 12 or so years, because we want to do what we can to keep our community safe.”