Salvation Army begins winter
program
By Jeff Cantwell
Staff
Writer
Dege Coutee was wondering how the community would
react toward local charity after the Sept. 11 attacks as she was helping
to plan this year's annual Winter Warm Up program for the Salvation
Army.
Coutee didn’t need to worry though, as a local
podiatrist donated 1,000 pairs of shoes and people around the community
also donated all sorts of clothing.
"The people in Lafayette are still thinking locally,"
said Coutee, director of social services at The Salvation Army. "We
couldn't do it without them."
The Lafayette branch of the Salvation Army is holding
its annual Winter Warm Up program from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the
Salvation Army, 1110 Union St. The program is open to any individuals
or families in the area.
The Winter Warm Up program was created to give
coats, sweatshirts, pants and other items of winter clothing to the
members of the community that are in need.
"We get a lot of requests for long underwear,"
said Coutee. "There are people with a lower income that have to walk,
ride bikes or the bus that need good winter clothing."
The Winter Warm Up program has been growing strong
since its creation three years ago. There were over 100 families in
attendance last year and more are expected this year.
"Our community is facing its first real economic
downturn in about 12 years," said Coutee. "There are lots of people
losing their jobs."
The program was created by Coutee and Eloise Lewellen,
the volunteer coordinator of the Salvation Army, to provide an alternate
way to help the community.
Most Salvation Army programs such as the Christmas
assistance and back to school programs, are based on emergencies such
as domestic violence and house fires. As many as 3,000 people are interviewed
each year and the most needy are assisted. For instance, the back to
school program helped 250 families, said Coutee.
The Winter Warm Up program does not have an interview
process, and all the clothes are available to whomever needs them.
"All we ask is for anyone who comes to sign in
and take only what they need," said Coutee. She said that the honor
system has worked well in the past two years.
The program is staffed by 10 to 12 volunteers who
assist in finding the right clothing in the right sizes for the people
in attendance. Volunteers will also help set up tables with the coats,
shirts and pants all divided up into men, women and children's sections.
Lewellen said many people have volunteered because
they read ads in the newspaper and heard announcements on the radio.
The Purdue University Circle K, a volunteer group
on campus, has offered its help to the Salvation Army.
"Most of our people will be helping with set up
on Thursday and Friday," said Valerie Cissell, a junior in the School
of Science and a member of Circle K. "But we will have about six people
there to help with the event. We just try to do what we can."
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