THUNDER BAY – For ten years, Solange Cote has been inspiring the community to help those in need.
The Catholic School Board music teacher created the Coats for Kids campaign to give back to the community by providing those in need with winter jackets, snow pants, hats, mittens and footwear.
“There’s a huge need in the community,” Cote said. “Every year it fluctuates with the coats, either it’s 2,000 or 1,000 there’s always a need, and a lot of them are given away today.”
Coats for Kids is an initiative with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers with the school board and with Catholic Principal’s Council of Ontario.
Those who take part in the campaign deliver boxes to schools and collect coats for about four weeks.
“It’s a call out to the community and we ask the parents to send in winter coats for both adults and children, boots, hats, mittens, and whatever they don’t want anymore,” Cote said.
“We collect them for about four weeks and we wash them and give them away for free.”
Cote added that the campaign was able to collect about 2,000 coats this year.
“That is a really good target and that’s what we want it doesn’t matter the numbers as much,” Cote said.
“As long are we are giving back to the community and that’s my passion is really to help those in need.”
Cote said those who benefit from Cots for Kids are grateful, and she said it’s her mandate to help those and to be loving and kind toward them.
The volunteers are happy to serve those in need, and it brings them joy to see firsthand what this campaign means to them.
The Coats for Kids campaign will run until Nov. 26 at Victoriaville Centre from 11 to 2 p.m.
