Barre Rotary Club Spreads Holiday Cheer with ‘The World Santa Coat Wrap’

Posted by Caroline Earle on Dec 10, 2020

On Saturday, December 6^th Barre Rotary volunteers joined with GenRotary, The World newspaper, and The Salvation Army to ensure that 174 children and adults in Central Vermont would receive new and warm winter coats for Christmas.

The coats were purchased through Lenny’s (who kindly gave the Club a wholesale discount) and were paired with colorful mitts, a hat, and a book for each child, to guarantee a cheery gift for individuals of need in our community. The World Santa Coat Drive has been wrapping our community with warmth and love for over thirty years. Barre Rotary has recently stepped up to take the lead in this annual tradition of good works. Our Club relocated the Coat Wrap to The Vermont Granite Museum a few years ago, and the cavernous Museum provided a particularly convenient and safe location for the project this year.

Alexis Lussier

Charlene Rinker

Caroline Earle, Justin Sofia

Ted Goulette

Along with providing the majority of the gift wrapping labor, Barre Rotary increased its own monetary support for the 2020 Coat Wrap in recognition of the economic hardships resulting from the COVID pandemic. “We are so glad to have had the ability to conduct this much-needed project safely, and to extend its reach to even more community members this year,” noted Barre Rotary President John Steinman. The annual Coat Wrap is an example of a perfect community collaboration, combining The World, the Salvation Army, Barre Rotary, as well as other community resources, all working together to improve the comfort and lives of individuals in our community. Barre Rotary is proud of its service in this and other projects and will continue to ensure that the holiday spirit burns bright in Central Vermont!