Florida State Seminoles linebackers, coaches' wives gift winter coats to Tallahassee school

Ana Goñi-Lessan, Tallahassee Democrat
·3 min read

Bags with snowmen and jingle bells sat on the floor in a carpeted room at Pineview Elementary School on Lake Bradford Road.

Each bag had a name tag for Justin, Sophia, Jashawn, Ra’Keim and other pre-K, kindergarten and first-grade students who, on Friday morning, got a new winter coat of their own.

“Coats mean security. When you’re not warm, there’s a lot of anxiety that can come with that,” said Lauren Marve, who organized the coat giveaway.

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“Having to stand at a bus stop for 45 minutes in the cold with your arms inside of your T-shirt? I mean, who wants to start their day off like that?”

Marve is the wife of Chris Marve, the Florida State Seminoles' linebackers coach. Together, they head the nonprofit Marvelous Deeds Psalm 86:10, which sponsors an annual winter coat drive at local elementary schools.

Lauren Marve, right, speaks to an FSU football linebacker at Pineview Elementary School on Friday morning.
Lauren Marve, right, speaks to an FSU football linebacker at Pineview Elementary School on Friday morning.

Along with Marve were other wives of coaches and a few FSU linebackers who, on a chilly and early Friday morning, volunteered their time to help young Pineview students open up their presents.

Pineview is a Title I school, meaning it receives federal assistance because at least 40% of students are considered low-income.

Linebacker DeCalon Brooks, 22, knelt down and helped one boy rip the tissue paper from his snowman bag to discover a gray and lime green down jacket underneath.

Next, Brooks helped another little boy next to him zip up his jacket and patted his beanie on his head.

“To see these kids’ faces light up when they get these coats, it means something, that we’re doing something for the community. For my teammates to be here as well, that fellowship, it means a lot,” he said.

Principal Carmen Conner has seen a lot of coat drives, but not many like Marve’s: “The best part of this is that the gifts are personalized to the children,” she said.

DeCalon Brooks, 22, kneels down and helps a Pineview Elementary student with his new winter coat.
DeCalon Brooks, 22, kneels down and helps a Pineview Elementary student with his new winter coat.

Marve started shopping for coats more than a month ago. She wanted to know the individual names, sizes and gender of each student so she could choose a coat just for them.

“This is a great opportunity for our kids, but often times, our students don’t get that personal touch added to it. That’s what this is. Having all their friends and the players here, icing on the cake,” Conner said.

The coats pulled out of gift bags were everything from bright pink and furry, to dark green camouflage, to rainbow.

As the children trotted back to class with the large bags about half the size of themselves, one boy told his teacher he didn't want to take his new coat off.

This is the second year Marvelous Deeds Psalm 86:10 has hosted a coat giveaway. Last year, the nonprofit gifted coats to Oakridge Elementary School. In the spring, the nonprofit hosts a food drive and restocks the pantries at schools.

“We just want to be a part of providing security for little kids who look like us,” Marve said.

Contact Ana Goñi-Lessan at AGoniLessan@tallahassee.com and follow her on Twitter @goni_lessan.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU players, coaches' wives give winter coats to Tallahassee kids