Make A Difference Day Collections Start Oct. 1
Published: Saturday, September 24, 2011 1:12 AM CDT
Make a Difference Day is Saturday, Oct. 22, and there are numerous groups within the community and throughout the country who are making an impact through this nationwide event.
Held annually on the fourth Saturday of October, the United Way & Volunteer Services and Yankton Volunteer Leaders join millions of Americans on this day of action to help improve the world.
The biggest Make a Difference Day project within the region is the Coat & Winter Wear Giveaway, where hundreds of winter clothing items will be distributed to those in need. In preparation for this event, an Annual Community Collection Drive is conducted. Community members are being asked to drop off gently used and clean winter coats, boots, snow pants, and winter hats and gloves to the Boys & Girls Club, Payless Shoes, or Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, main lobby entrance, Oct. 1-14. School aged students can drop off their donations to their local school from Oct. 10-14. Children’s coats and boots are most in need. If you are uncertain about drop off locations, contact the United Way & Volunteer Services’ office at 665-6766.
Upon collection of the items, they are sorted and displayed for the Coat & Winter Wear Giveaway at the Human Services Center, South Training Center (Old Chapel) on Oct. 22 from 9-10:30 a.m. The Clothing Closet will also be having a free voucher day from 9 a.m.-noon.
The Giveaway was started about 16 years ago by Scott Schindler focusing on needed boots and shoes for community members. The Webster Elementary School collected children’s coats for distribution followed by the Yankton Volunteer Leaders collecting sweaters to support a national plea by “Mr. Rogers.” The United Way & Volunteer Services and other volunteer organizations collaborated to expand the effort to include winter coats. The community has rallied behind this event each and every year. The Boys & Girls Club, Payless Shoes, Avera Sacred Heart Hospital and schools promote the event and serve as drop off locations. The United Way & Volunteer Services alongside Yankton Volunteer Leaders coordinate the collection drive, the Human Services Center hosts the distribution, Boy Scouts troops pick up the donations, South Dakota trustees assist with sorting, RSVP volunteers assist during distribution, and local youth groups volunteer to display and clean up after the event.
“I have had the pleasure to work with the volunteer leaders, students, administrators, and Scouts and their leaders on this project and am amazed at how the whole community comes together to help those in need. There are so many people who volunteer their time to make this a successful project and have done so for many years. I am in awe of the commitment of those volunteers and for the generosity of the community in donating items to make this event more successful each year,” said Stacy Starzl, member of Yankton Volunteer Leaders and Director of Big Friend Little Friend.