Bringing coats to the children of Jackson County

Ashley Hunter
ECB Publishing, Inc.

On Saturday, December 8, the Monticello Altrusians traveled to Marianna (Jackson County), FL. to bring a load of winter coats and jackets to two teachers in the Jackson County School District.
Like many counties west of Leon County, Jackson County was hit hard by October’s Hurricane Michael.
The children who lost their homes during the storm have also lost most of their belongings, including clothing and coats; with winter quickly approaching and the weather cooling, the need for warm clothing is becoming more urgent.
That is where the Monticello Altrusa Club came in.
Contacted by Altrusa International, the local club was informed of the need for coats and jackets for the hurricane-impacted children.
However, they were advised that providing the monetary option for the people in Jackson County to purchase jackets and coats for their children was not ideal, as many stores no longer have enough winter clothing in stock; parents who recieved the money may not be able to even purchase warmer clothing for their children.
So the Altrusa Club here in Monticello launched a coat and jacket drive around the community.
Members of the community were invited to donate gently used jackets to the club for Altrusians to transport to Jackson County.
In particular, Ashworth recognized the assistance of two local churches, Central Baptist and First United Methodist, due to their congregation’s hardwork at collecting jackets.
According to Ashworth, individuals who did not have gently used children’s jackets or coats were going out and purchasing brand new winter wear to donate to the cause.
On the Saturday when Ashworth traveled to Jackson County with Altrusians Glorianna Mediate and Betty Messer, their car was packed to the brim with 200 donated children’s coats.
The sight of the destroyed city of Marianna, Ashworth said, shocked all three Altrusians.
“The damage looked fresh,” Ashworth mentioned. Months after Hurricane Michael tore through some of North Florida’s most rural counties, the people in the impacted towns and counties are still trying to rebuild their lives and find ways to get back onto their feet.
But for a brief moment, Ashworth says that the coats and jackets brought smiles to the faces of two Jackson County teachers.
Laurie Ward and Edna Riley are two Pre-K teachers in Marianna, and they organized the Coats For Kids efforts in order to help keep their students, and other students throughout the county, warm.
On the Saturday when the Altrusians met with Riley and Ward, the two teachers were given armload after armload of winter wear that would help struggling families keep their children warm in the coming months of cold and freezing weather.
“This whole community stepped forward,” said Monticello Altrusa Club President Anita Ashworth, praising the help that the community gave in helping clothe and provide comfort to children they will likely never meet.