For 26th year, Indiana program provides warmth.
By April Abernathy
In mid-October, Coats for Kids put 8,720 coats and over 6,000 hats on children in central Indiana for the 26th year.
Started by local dry cleaning company Tuchman Cleaners, the event is now a partnership between TV station WTHR, community representative Bob Gregory and The Salvation Army.
This year, coat-seeking families lined up long before the sun rose, waiting to walk through the doors of the Horticulture Agriculture Building at the Indiana State Fairgrounds where children were greeted by Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders. Volunteers assisted families in finding jackets among the racks.
The kids left equipped with a lightweight jacket, a hat, scarf and gloves—everything a child needs to stay warm through the cold Indiana months.