To the editor: Thanks to all who made Warm Hands coat drive successful

The Warm Hands Warm Hearts planning committee wishes to thank the Chester and Andover communities for the wonderful support for Warm Hands Warm Hearts 2021, held in late October.

Photo by Anna Tis from Pexels

Many generous donations of coats, blankets, boots and other warm items were all given free to all shoppers. Donations of cash were used to purchase healthy snacks for each shopper.

Many volunteers helped by monitoring donation boxes, setting up and taking down the displays, moved and stored the display racks and storage bins, put together the snack bags, and were present during the shopping.

Special thanks to the Chester Baptist Church for hosting the event, NewsBank for printing the posters and rack cards and Chester Baptist Church, Chester Rotary and Andover Community Church for cash donations.

Thanks also go to those who donated drop box sites: the Whiting Library, Chester-Andover Elementary School, the Green Mountain Union High School Honor Society, Smitty’s Market, Chester-Andover Family Center, Andover Town Office, Chester Town Office, American Legion Post #67, American Legion Auxiliary Unit #67, Andover Community Church, Chester Baptist Church and Chester Andover Family Center.

We’d also like to thank those who donated paper bags for snacks — Chester Hardware, Chester Sunoco and Erskine’s Grain and Garden — and to Black River Produce and several anonymous donors who donated snacks. Thanks to the “Snack Bag Crew” who filled 200 snack bags to distribute.

All the items left at the end of the event were donated to the Church of Christ Clothing Closet and the Boy Scouts for further distribution.

There were many volunteers who helped with tasks big and small. We feel gratitude for each of you.

Planning has begun for WHWH 2022. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Carla Rumrill at fae12rae@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Carla Rumrill,
Edie Brown,
Beth Brothers,
Savannah Gramling,
Elaine Wrubel and
Harriet Dean