Warm coats, hats ready for use
Despite a temperature forecast that has the thermometer dropping to single digits by early Tuesday morning, coats, hats, gloves and scarves are going unused in a storage space at the Center for Community Resources, 212 S. Main St.
The predicted frigid winter conditions are the reason Bundle Up Butler was created three years ago by the Butler Collaborative for Families, said Erin McGarrity, coordinator for both the center and the collaborative.
Anyone seeking a new or gently used coat should be able to find one, McGarrity said.
“People can either come to the Center for Community Relations to pick up a coat or contact us to let us know, so we can make arrangements to get it out to them if they are unable to come here,” McGarrity said.
“If it's a transportation issue, we will find a way to get it to them, whether through the school district or some other way,” she said.
McGarrity said a sign-up form is at the website www.butlerfamilies.net.
“There is no financial eligibility criteria,” McGarrity said about the sign-up form. “It just asks for coat size and gender.”
People also can call 724-431-3748 to arrange to get a coat.
Or people are referred to Bundle Up Butler by various member agencies of the collaborative.
“We have a lot of coats collected by various member agencies, schools, churches, businesses and students at Slippery Rock University and Butler County Community College,” said McGarrity.
One of the student groups collecting coats has been the Butler County Community College Social Work Club, a community service organization of more than 20 members.
Karen Jack, the club's faculty adviser, along with Karen Stubenbort, said, “I was a Butler Collaborative for Families member. I learned about Bundle Up Butler from one of the meetings and thought that would be a great thing to do.”
The club has held a clothing drive all three years of Bundle Up Butler's existence, Jack said.
“We had bins in the student success center's upper and lower levels. We just advertised for students and staff to turn in coats and any winter wear, new or gently used. We got a little of both,” she said.
This fall, Jack said, Sherri Osbourne, assistant director of student life, gave the club $140 raised during a raffle at a mystery dinner theater event on campus Nov. 16, money that was turned over to Bundle Up Butler.
“It's definitely a worthy cause. It has grown each year,” said Jack.
Bundle Up Butler was started in 2010. And, despite having handed out 947 coats since its inception, it remains well stocked with cold-weather clothing.
McGarrity said a lot of the present coats are carryovers from last year's mild winter.
