Annual coat drive brings warmth to those in need
For the 24th year, a winter coat drive will help those in need to stay a little warmer.
Top Notch Cleaners and Master Cleaners capped almost a month’s worth of collecting donations Saturday morning, putting coats on racks in front of their businesses.
Norman Mermis started the coat drive with his wife at Top Notch Cleaners and distributed coats every year until last fall, due to COVID-19. But Mermis and his daughter, Amy Mermis-Smith, were back at it Saturday, making about 600 to 700 coats available for free pickup.
“We like to give back to the community,” Mermis-Smith said. “We have such a tremendous response, with all of the people in the community donating.”
Mermis, who grew up on a farm near Walker Air Base, wore hand-me-down Army coats as a child.
“A lot of time kids made fun of us,” he said. “I asked my wife, ‘I would like to do something for the kids.’ We went with it.”
So Mermis started the coat drive, which also has hats, gloves and scarves available.
Master Cleaners joined the winter coat drive in the second year and has been doing it ever since.
“It makes you feel good to help out people,” said Ryan Gottschalk, who has owned the business since 2012.
Gottschalk had 20 racks full of coats at 9 a.m.
“By 10 o’clock, three-fourths of them were gone,” he said.
Gottschalk, who had about 700 to 800 coats this year, gives those left over to St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church, which distributes them to a Native American reservation. Mermis gives his remaining coats to people who ask for one, local charities and for Rooks County residents at the county courthouse in Stockton.
The two cleaners make sure the coats are clean and repaired before handing them out.
“You can see it had potential to grow and one cleaners can’t do it all,” Gottschalk said.
Mermis-Smith said the fall coat drive is timed with the first nip in the air.
“Every year in October we have one week where it’s good and chilly,” Mermis-Smith said. “It sends people to the closet. Either they realize they have too many coats or they realize they’ve outgrown their coat and need a new coat.
“Either way, we get that cold spell which brings top of the mind to people that winter’s coming, get your coat ready,” she added. “They either donate them or know they need to come in and pick one up.”
There is no eligibility criteria for picking out a coat.
“No paperwork, no questions asked,” Mermis-Smith said. “If you need a coat, take a coat.”
One year, a little girl picked out a coat, snow boots, gloves and hat – all in pink – and showed off her new outfit for all to see. It was her birthday. Hearts melted.
“It just warms my heart to no end,” Mermis said. “We can’t forget to thank God for letting us do this.”
This article originally appeared on Hays Daily News: Annual coat drive brings warmth to those in need
