From left, Holy Family Parish Knights of Columbus council 9502 grand knight Greg Martin, religious education co-ordinator Heather Irvine and warden Walter Pratt present the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education with 48 new winter coats for students through K of C's 'Coats for Kids' program.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
To spread a little warmth before winter arrives, the local Knights of Columbus organization donated 72 new winter coats to Catholic school students, as well as winter coats for the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelter Society and the Piikani Nation.
Forty-eight brand new coats, specially designed for Canadian winters, will be provided to students chosen by the school division.
“This act will make a difference to 48 children and their families as the cold weather begins,” states the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education’s Facebook page.
Patrick Ries, financial secretary with Knights of Columbus, says the division will choose who could make best use of the coats, factoring in a family’s financial situation.
“So imagine if you can put a smile on one child’s face,” said Ries, who recalled a story about a coat that was donated to a young girl last year who refused to take it off during class.
“The teacher said, ‘Well you can take your coat off during class,’ and she said, ‘No, I’m very sorry, this is the only new thing I’ve ever had.”
The Holy Family Parish Knights of Columbus Council 9502 has provided extra warmth for hundreds of local families in need and new Canadians who have never experienced a severe winter.
Ries told the News that of the Knights of Columbus’ four degrees of duty, charity is the one he finds most important, especially giving back to the community.
“When you talk about costs, that fills part of the community aspect because once you’re going into the schools you’re covering a pretty large area.”
The remaining coats were given to the women’s shelter and sent to Brocket, a Peigan settlement located on Highway 3 approximately 80 kilometres west of Lethbridge.
“We appreciate your support so children whose families are accessing our programs are able to stay nice and warm as the winter months approach,” states the Medicine Hat Women’s Shelters Society Facebook page.
Ries is asking local youth organizations looking to access winter coats to reach out to the local chapter.
“We would invite certain organizations who could use this to please contact us, we are always open to that,” said Ries who explained they are working with an annual budget of approximately $2,000 and still have funds remaining this season. “It’s just a small contribution to the community.”
Nationwide the Knights of Columbus has donated more than one million coats to children in need since it began its ‘Coats for Kids’ program in 2009.
