A LITTLE HISTORY...
Rotarians Bring Warmth to Allen Kids
Despite its reputation for blazing hot summer, winters in Allen can be just as extreme with damp and windy days that chill to the bone. And in spite of its touted affluence, Allen also has many families who live in poverty. For these families, warm coats are a luxury and many kids just go without them.
In 2005, this issue was brought to the attention of Allen’s Noon Rotary Club by Susan Oliver; Care Coach of Boyd Elementary School. Although the community can boast some of the highest average income figures in the Dallas metropolitan area, at Boyd, 52% of the kids (a total of 299) live below the poverty level.
“Three years ago, when I came to Boyd, I watched kids shivering and I immediately thought ‘coats’” said Oliver. The idea captured the heart of Noon Rotary members Griff Moore and Bill Beaty, and the Coats for Kids program was born. Rotary members bought new boys’ and girls’ coats in a variety of sizes, as well as hats and mittens, for the kids providing 40 coats in the first year of the program. “Every child that needed a coat at Boyd Elementary got one. The kids were so proud of their coats, they wouldn’t take them off,” continued Oliver.
The grateful kids sent thank-you notes to the Rotarians. One of the cards read, “We are all different in so many ways, but alike in one; and that is we all get cold in the winter.”
“This year through the generosity of Allen Rotarians, we provided 70 coats for the children at Boyd. Allen Community Outreach and the Allen Philharmonic Symphony also donated coats to the drive,” said Moore, who is Past President of the club. “It’s a simple outreach program that meets an important need. Our goal is to expand the program to every Rotary Club in this district to initiate a similar project in their community.”
Oliver has worked in several other school districts, but she has found that Allen is different. “What’s so special about Allen is the community willingness to provide for those in need,” said Oliver. “The responsiveness and generosity of the Rotary Club members to meet our kid’s needs is gratifying.”
Rotary is an organization of business and professional people united world wide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help goodwill and peace in the world. In addition to the Coats for Kids Dive, the Allen Rotary Club provides college scholarships for local students, sponsors a Foreign Exchange student each year and sponsors teens to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership camp. They provide funding for Allen Community Outreach, the Foundation for Allen Schools and other local and national charities.
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