By Community Advocate Staff
COMMUNITY ADVOCATE
January 4, 2016
Worcester County Sheriff Lewis G. Evangelidis spent Dec. 8 and 9 visiting a number of greater Worcester area charities to distribute some much needed warm winter jackets.
The Sheriff’s Coat Drive is an annual event that provides new or lightly used winter coats to families in need throughout Worcester County and is a collaborative effort between the Sheriff’s Office of Community Corrections, Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, the Worcester County Reserve Deputy Sheriff’s Association, Warmer Winters of Leominster, Rutland Women’s Knitting Club, Bay Path Vocational Regional High School, Southbridge High School, Twin City Cleaners of Dudley, Independent Cleaners of Fitchburg as well as many other local businesses and community partners.
This year’s coat drive received a huge boost in early November with a special donation from Wachusett Mountain Ski Area of over 1,500 ski jackets. “With the tremendous donation of over 1,500 winter jackets from Wachusett Mountain Ski Area and the Crowley Family, we were able to have a huge head start on our successful coat drive which was able to help so many families in our community. We cannot thank them enough for their overwhelming generosity,” said Evangelidis.
During the distribution week, the sheriff paid a special visit to over a dozen local charitable organizations to personally hand deliver thousands of winter jackets including the Gardner Community Action Center, Cleghorn Neighborhood Center & Our Fathers House of Fitchburg, Spanish American Center of Leominster, Rutland Food Pantry, St. Anne’s Human Services of Shrewsbury, Rhodes House of Recovery in Millbury, TradeWinds Clubhouse, Catholic Charities & Arc of Hope of Southbridge as well as St. John’s Food for the Poor Program, Veterans Inc. & The Friendly House of Worcester.
“During the holiday season, the sheriff’s annual Winter Coat Drive helps to ensure that local families who may be in need are provided with an adequate winter coat. With over 3,500 winter jackets collected during this year’s coat drive, we were able to help more families and children in need than in year’s past,” Evangelidis said. “As the cold weather months approach and especially during this difficult economic time, it is extremely important to do all we can to help those in our community who may be less fortunate.”
Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis with staff of St. Anne’s Human Services of Shrewsbury, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Community Outreach Team and volunteers, during the sheriff’s visit to drop off and distribute winter coats as part of his annual Winter Coat Drive.
