Mary Alice Reporting –
A local fire department is once again participating in the Operation Warm program.
The platform provides coats to kids, with the Uhrichsville Firefighters union, Local 4265, concentrating their efforts on Claymont students in Kindergarten and 1st grade.
The last time they held this event, says Captain Wes Dillon, was in 2016.
“We were able to distribute 149 winter jackets to children in need at Claymont schools.”
He explains that they took a hiatus due to the amount of work required to raise donations to purchase the coats and then the pandemic occurred.
Members of the Union have pushed to restart the local initiative and Dillon says they are accepting monetary contributions at the fire station, on E. 2nd Street, or through a link on the department’s Facebook page.
“One thing about the donations, they are all tax deductible by the extent allowed by the law. Once you make a donation, it generates a receipts they can use as proof of the donation.”
He adds that they are looking to purchase and distribute the winter gear by December. The number of gifted coats depends on the amount of generous community donations.
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