More than 30 families helped through Share the Warmth clothing drive in Kincardine

More than 30 families received warm winter coats, gloves, mitts, hats, etc., through the Share the Warmth winter clothing drive, held at Knox Presbyterian Church, Kincardine.

Items were collected through September and October, with distribution held Thursday and Friday at the church.

Volunteers had the garments laid out on tables, by size, from extra-small to double-extra-large, as well as children’s garments, accessories, footwear, and a table for “imperfects” and “out of season” items.

By 5:30 p.m., Thursday, people were lined up all the way up the slope and around the corner by the church. Volunteers acted as personal shoppers for each family as the doors opened at 6 p.m.

While about 30 families were assisted, many attendees came with a list of dependants who needed clothing.

More than 250 garments were collected, and by Friday afternoon, most had been distributed. About a dozen coats, plus hats and scarves, were retained at Knox Kincardine in case of future need.

The leftover children’s clothing, along with the imperfects, out-of-season items, and footwear, went to the Clothes Hamper, and the remaining coats, and the few needing minor repairs (Owen Sound has a repair cafe), were picked up by Francesca Dobbyn, executive director of the United Way of Bruce Grey.

The fact that there were so few items remaining speaks to the fact that many people in the Kincardine area are struggling hard to get by.

Appreciation goes out to the generous community for sharing items no longer needed; to Little Beginnings Day Care and Learning Centre and West Shore Clothing and Surf Shoppe for being the major collection depots for this project; to the Good Food Box volunteers for assisting in the set-up; to the Knox Kincardine volunteers and their friends who donated their time and effort to make this project work; and to the congregation of Knox Kincardine which hosts this project free of charge.