As the days get colder and the nights get longer, there’s a few things looming in everyones thoughts. Bitter winds and blowing snow. It happens every year and this year will be no exception. As mother nature satisfies her flare for the dramatic, some may be wondering how they’re going to keep warm. Look no further. There are many places around Rolla that do all that they can to keep people warm and comfortable throughout the winter. First Baptist Church has a community outreach program called Brenda’s Coat Closet. The coat closet serves anyone in the community that needs or can’t afford a coat for those freezing winter months.
“Over the last twenty years, we have probably averaged about two hundred and fifty coats a year,” Beki Wade, chairperson of the coat closet said.
All the coats are either donated or bought through donations. Every used coat that is donated is thoroughly examined to make sure that they are in good shape. The coats are washed and fixed by volunteers. All of this is done so that the people they serve are happy and healthy.
“Most of the families we serve are very appreciative. I’ve seen people actually cry,” Wade said.
Often, families come in and are overwhelmed by the kindness of these people. For some teenagers, it is often hard to accept help from other people. They’re afraid that they will be looked down upon, because they simply can’t afford a coat.
“I can’t give an actual number of high school students that we have served, but there are some every year and a relative guess would be around twenty,” Wade said.
The most appealing thing about the coat closet, is that it is completely free. The volunteers that run it do not expect any kind of payment for these coats. They are given out of love for their community. The volunteers are satisfied because they know that they are doing what they can to help the people around them. A record is kept of all the coats that are given out. The record doesn’t list names; it simply lists numbers.
“But it’s just a number. The important thing is that we are obviously meeting a real need in the community. It has always been surprising to me as I speak to our consumers, how much hurt and need is all around us,” Wade said.
These people are doing something very important and they know it. They love what they do and they’re very happy to help anyone and everyone.
“Sometimes, we see folks who can’t afford a new coat right now, and sometimes we see folks who have never ever had a new coat and can’t even imagine what it would be like to purchase one,” Wade said.
Of course, there are also people who’d like to donate coats instead of receiving one. For anyone who would like to donate a coat or coats, they can stop by the churches main office anytime before four o’clock. The church is always very appreciative of any new or lightly used coats that can be donated. Around the end of October through the end of February, the coat closet will be open most Wednesday nights at six thirty. For anyone who would like to receive a coat, the coat closet will soon be opening their doors for another season. The way to the coat closet is clearly marked and people are encouraged to come and take advantage of this wonderful program.