'Makes my heart happy': Collecting winter coats for kids a year-round job for P.E.I. volunteer
The Summerside Boys and Girls club will hand out winter clothes on Nov. 4
Sandra Gallagher says her heart goes out to families forced to make difficult decisions when the warm winds turn cold.
Gallagher, from Summerside, P.E.I., co-ordinates the local Coats for Kids campaign, which collects winter wear for children who need everything from coats and mitts to snowsuits and boots.
"You have parents that have to make the choice: 'Do we have oil in our tank and gas in the car to go to work, or do we buy our child a new snowsuit?'" she said.
"It makes me upset because it's everyday life."
Gallagher took over the Coats for Kids campaign six years ago after a local service club stopped doing it because of a lack of volunteers and space.
"It was a real eye opener," she said.
Donations from businesses
Although the coat giveaway takes place on one day of the year — it's on Nov. 4 at the Boys & Girls club this year — Gallagher is out collecting coats all year round. Many of the donations come from the business community in Summerside. Darryl Munn of Domino's Pizza is offering a free medium two-topping pizza for every drop off.
"There's always people that can't attend the club for some reason or their child has a broken zipper or lost their ski pants," Gallagher said. "I still get lots of people looking for things afterwards."
To meet the demand, Gallagher and her helper, Paul Doucette, are busy every day collecting coats.
They recently visited a mom who collected a bag of winter wear for the campaign. Bethany Halupa of Summerside was on maternity leave a few years ago, when she needed two snowsuits for her children.
Taking care of kids
"When you're on maternity leave or unemployed or anything like that, funds can run very low and when you have kids you want to make sure they're taken care of, so to have something like that available, it's a wonderful opportunity," she said.
Years ago, Gallagher herself was also one of those parents needing help.
"I was very scared and nervous at first," she said. "I was just worried people might frown on me. But I had to swallow my pride and do what I needed to do get my daughter a snowsuit."
That little boy went to bed that night with his boots on. That made me so happy.- Sandra Gallagher
Now Gallagher, who's on a disability pension, tries to ease the anxiety of other parents who are shy about taking charity.
"I just tell them to come because we don't ask them anything about their income."
Gallagher has seen many smiles on the faces of kids who have received a brand new coat. She recalled one incident a few years ago, when a local hockey team helped hand out winter wear.
"They helped a little boy find a pair of boots, second-hand boots," Gallagher said.
"That little boy went to bed that night with his boots on. That made me so happy, so happy."
Collecting coats is not all Gallagher does throughout the year.
"There's washing," she said. "Sometimes you might have to mend a small hole, or put a patch on ski pants, stuff like that and just make sure the mitts are mates."
Gallagher often hears from people who are surprised there's a need out there for the program.
"It kind of makes me sad, so this is why I decided to do the Coats for Kids. It just makes my heart happy.'
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