Coats for Kids donations up in 'true Island fashion'

Donations for the annual Coats for Kids campaign were up significantly over last year, according to Downtown Charlottetown Inc.

Dawn Alan, executive director of DCI, said they were able to collect more than 430 jackets, coats and snow pants.

"In true Island fashion, it was slow for the first couple weeks, but also in true Island fashion, Islanders came through and by the end of the extended week on November the 4th," she said.

"It was a really good year and almost double what we collected for the last two years. So we were ever so pleased and grateful for Islanders rallying for this cause."

Sterns Launderers & Drycleaners in Charlottetown cleaned the coats, and they were sorted and distributed through the Salvation Army.

Alan said many families have been helped through the program this year, especially those with children four to eight years old.

Next year DCI will consider asking that some of the business donations go toward purchasing coats for infants and teens.