Bonner Program Donates Winter Coats to Local Children

COLUMBIA, KY -- A group of Lindsey Wilson College students helped ensure that area children will keep warm this winter.

LWC students in the college's Bonner Program delivered 52 winter coats and hats Tuesday morning to Adair County Head Start. The coats and hats were given to the program's 52 students.

LWC Bonner students raised coats and money to purchase the coats from members of the LWC community as well as Columbia-Adair County residents.

This year's drive -- which is in its eighth year -- was led by LWC Bonner student Jamie Bratcher of Louisville. Bratcher, who has been a part of the drive throughout her time at LWC, said she was incredibly happy with the turnout for the drive this year and especially excited to have extra funds to include hats for each student in addition to the coats.

"Being able to provide coats to these kids could be the help their parents needed or just one less worry that they have which is important," said Bratcher, "When you are a part of a community you want to do everything you can do to make the place a little bit better and I think this is a little way to help a few people in this community I have called home for the past 3 and a half years. The generosity of businesses in the community with their monetary donations and how many people on campus who donated truly blew me away."

LWC's Bonner Program is a servant-leadership program with 73 students who serve non-profit organizations throughout the region. This year, Bonner students will serve more than 20,000 hours of combined service, according to LWC Director of Civic Engagement Natalie Vickous, who oversees the Bonner Program.

Vickous has been involved in the Coats for Kids drive since she was a student at LWC. She says it's one of her favorite things the Bonner program does each year.

"It is so meaningful for me to have seen this program (Coats for Kids) grow and be maintained for the past eight years," said Vickous, "Through all of my changing roles at LWC, it has always been one of my favorite things that we do. Not only do I get to see kids getting warm winter coats, but I also see student leaders here at LWC taking ownership of providing those coats through soliciting donations in the community and overseeing all of the behind-the-scenes details that go into this project."

Tuesday's delivery of winter coats to Adair County Head Start "brings a lot of excite and joy to the students," said Adair County Head Start Coordinator and Family Support Specialist Jiminy Hale.

"It's just such an amazing thing seeing the kids' faces light up when they receive their coats," said Hale, "It truly means so much to us and the families."

For more information about Coats for Kids or the Bonner program at LWC, contact Natalie Vickous at vickousn@lindsey.edu or 70-384-7469. For more scenes from the Coats for Kids drive, check out our Flickr album here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmxkF7ZM