Kiwanis keeping youngsters warm this winter

On a blustery January day, many kids around Terrebonne Parish will walk to the bus stop without a warm jacket to thwart the damp, cool weather. One local organization has been providing schools with the opportunity to help students in need for over five years.

With weather experts predicting a harsh 2006-2007 winter season, the Kiwanis Club of Houma will help outfit students who may not have a coat during their annual Coats for Kids drive. With the collection completed on Dec. 8, Kiwanis members strive to get the winter-wear out before students are dismissed for holiday vacation.

George Robichaux, Coats for Kids officer, counts between 500 to 600 coats collected on average each year school and hopes to have the same outcome this year. Guidance counselors will pick up and distribute the coats after the Kiwanis drive.

“Some of the coats we get are adult sizes and we’ll donate those to Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army. But we hope to get coats to more than half of the kids who need them,” he said.

A lack in collection of coat sizes eight, 10 and 12 has been a reoccurring problem and is the main reason why Kiwanis can’t get a jacket to every child who needs one. Robichaux said that many years, monetary donations are made and that received funds are spent on needed sizes.

Some years Robichaux has received upward of $2,500 for the cause from individual donations as well as big checks from corporate giants like Wal-Mart. Last year, Coats for Kids counted $120 and hopes to break $100 in monetary donations for the 2006 drive.

Another reason why some students in need don’t receive a coat is partly because they don’t ask for one.

Kiwanis sends letters to parish schools, asking for teacher referrals of students who may need warm attire. From there, guidance counselors send a letter home with the child, explaining the program, to be returned with a parent’s signature – indicating willful participation in the program.

“There are some students teachers refer who for some reason don’t bring their note back,” said Jim Mitchell, interim counselor at West Park Elementary School.

West Park is one of the 12 schools in the parish that participates in Coats for Kids, since its inception six years ago.

“It’s an excellent program. I just wish we had a few more,” said Mitchell. Seven West Park students will receive winter coats from Kiwanis this year.

Coat collection began right after Thanksgiving and ended on Dec. 8. Guidance counselors will pick up the coats from Robichaux’s home, sorted and boxed, to be distributed.

“We want to get the kids their coats before it gets too cold,” said Robichaux, “and before they head home for Christmas.”

Those wishing to make a monetary donation for Coats for Kids may send a check payable to The Kiwanis Club of Houma to P.O. Box 701, Houma, LA 70360.