The chilly weather is upon us and it's a perfect time to go through the front closet and sort what fits, what is unwanted, and what you have too much of so it can be repurposed to help keep members of the community warm this winter.
The team of volunteers at Lakeshore Evangelical Missionary Church, located at 656 Lakeshore Dr., is ready to accept those items from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays.
As the church embarks on the second week of its impromptu winter clothing drive, youth pastor Justin Fotheringham is pleased to report the donations have been coming in steadily.
"People dropping off the clothes have been really excited to help the community," he says. "We have an amazing city that really wants to help when it’s needed."
See related story: Community rallies as winter clothing drive takes shape
In conjunction with community groups who will distribute the essential winter clothing items to those in need, Lakeshore Evangelical agreed to step in and fill some of the void left by the cancellation of Operation Warmth due to COVID-19.
Lakeshore Evangelical, with some extra storage for donated items in these times requiring physical distancing, is filling in as a smaller-scale Operation Warmth this year. For the past 24 years, the winter clothing drive has operated from the cramped basement of the Redeemer Lutheran Church under the direction of Rev. Jerry Slote.
See also: Have faith: Operation Warmth will return next year
It pained Rev. Slote to cancel the month-long event that provided thousands of coats and pieces of winter clothing to the community each year but it was not logistically possible at the usual location.
The senior pastor and the board of elders at Lakeshore Evangelical encouraged Fotheringham to pursue the arrangement to store the donated items with the community outreach groups poised to distribute the winter clothing needed for the cold months ahead.
Fotheringham stresses the importance of donations being bagged or boxed before drop off, according to health guidelines. So far, loose items of clothing are hung up and quarantined but space is limited for this practice.
Lakeshore Evangelical will continue to accept any donations from the community as the push is on to outfit the community with proper winter attire.
