Mini-sabbaticals have changed this year along with the advent of the COVID pandemic. Those of us who are honored to participate in this sabbatical process are trying to find ways to serve our community in more creative, thoughtful and less invasive ways. Honoring our neighbors and social distancing have clearly given us time to think about what our community’s needs are during these times. Our Baird Community Coat Drive committee did determine that coats will always be a tangible item that kids, seniors, and needy families need during the approaching winter season. Last year we served 57 families/individuals in Baird..mostly kids. And with the donations from the 5 churches in Baird and the local businesses, we had several large boxes of coats left over from last year that we placed in storage for this year. Also, we had $300.00 cash reserved for special needs or coats that we did not have that we could purchase.
The question this year was how were we going to get the coats to the people? Last year we left coat forms with our churches, several local businesses, the school, and the senior citizen meeting spot along with 8 large coat drops boxes for people that wanted to make donations. We had several of our volunteers visit local businesses for financial donations. Last year everyone came by our Community Center and picked out what they wanted. But since we are being respectful about social distancing this year, we needed to keep person-to-person contact minimal. So, we had to think out-of-the-box about how to reach these families and individuals differently this year in 2020.
We simplified the process and decided to have one form that had all of their personal information and what coats they needed. We had them include their cell numbers and addresses. Our drop off location for the forms was where we left the forms. The school. The churches. The bank. City Hall. It simply says if you need a coat or know family or friends that need coats, then please fill out this form completely and we would fulfill these orders and have them delivered to you. Simple. And that is how it will go until the end of January. Baird First Baptist Church is allowing us to use their fellowship hall to organize the coats we currently have in stock and to package and fulfill the orders still coming in.
We are grateful to the local businesses for supporting this Baird Community Coat Drive and to our local churches who have supported this call. Thankful to my hubby, Dennis, and our daughter, Ivy, for helping me sort and organize coats. Thank you to an anonymous volunteer who donated scarves and cloves for the kids. There was another anonymous volunteer who knitted hats for us. Inside each hat has a piece of cloth sewn in that simply says, “GOD LOVES YOU.”
The Baird Community Coat Drive will be serving families until January 15th, 2021, officially, but we always pull items for those that know us and have a need.
I am so thankful to FDLIC for allowing me and my family and my small group of ladies here in Baird to have the time to take this task and give me time to organize this charity that God has called us to lead. Everyone has been so grateful for the coats that we have delivered to so far. It is good to know that God has directed us to do this and that we have so many willing to help volunteer and help us financially.
Thank you FDLIC for being the arm of God in so many ways. Thank you, Father, for letting us be your hands and feet and providing for us. Amen.