By Victoria Lusk vlusk@aberdeennews.com

Photo: Kristie Scherbenske, chairwoman of missions for North Highland United Methodist Church, helps sort through donations for the church's annual Coats for Kids and Other Folk drive. Photo courtesy of Aberdeen North Highland UMC.

An effort to get coats and other winter gear to people in need keeps growing.

Coats for Kids and Other Folk organizer the Rev. Lou Whitmer, of North Highland United Methodist Church, estimates that about 500 coats were given.

Now in its 11th year, the giveaway has grown in many ways over the years, she said.

Typically, the church and other area ministries collect around 800 coats each year — more if lightweight coats and sweatshirts are counted, Whitmer said.

"Almost always, children's coats are the first to go. Any leftover coats are either donated locally or sent to a ministry in need,” she said.

"We can always use more children's coats," she added.

This is the second year snow pants will be given away.

“We survived the day!  It was more difficult to explain to newcomers just how cold it might get—especially on a day when we had to open the windows and turn the fan on to even try on coats,” said Whitmer.

Almost all of the 300 children’s coats were given away—only six remained. Many snow pants went out, and a few more will be ordered.

A woman headed to the Standing Rock picked up the remaining adult warm coats. We will likely get calls in the upcoming weeks when it gets cold, so expect to order a few more snow pants and buy some more kids coats. 

Some grandparents take multiple grandchildren to the event. Photo to right: A visitor to the coat give away poses after happily receving a coat. Photo courtesy of Aberdeen North Highland.

“It’s really filling a community need,” Whitmer said.

The number of coats donated has grown steadily over the years, as has the number of people who need them and community awareness.

Whitmer said that this year’s coat drive has been going well.

“People have been generous,” she said Tuesday.

The ways the community is supporting this year’s campaign is something that should be celebrated, Whitmer said. For example, she said, The Brass Kettle donated 10 percent from Saturday and Sunday brunch sales in October and CJ's Patisserie donated 2 percent of all October sales to the cause.

Herberger’s collected coats through another drive, and offered to donate them to Coats for Kids and Other Folk, Whitmer said.

“It’s really great to have that community connection,” she said.

Photo below: Kids and adults shopping for coats at Aberdeen North Highland UMC on November 5, 2016. Photo courtesy of Aberdeen North Highland UMC.