By Marcie Miller
For the Enterprise
LYNNWOOD — The final count was 480 coats and one pair of tiny black boots.
The Oct. 9 coat-counting event at the Lynnwood office of the state Department of Social and Health Services capped the monthlong “Stuff a Bus With Coats for Kids” drive sponsored by Community Transit, DSHS and the Evergreen State Fair.
The goal of the drive was to provide coats for foster children in Snohomish County. Transit drivers volunteered their time Aug. 20 through Sept. 20 to staff donation stations at the fair in Monroe and CT park-and-ride lots across the county.
As students from Tina Choi’s homeroom at Scriber Lake High School in Lynnwood bundled the coats 10 to a bag for tallying, Tom Pearce, public information coordinator for CT, said that was a record for stuffing a public transit bus with donated coats.
But don’t look for it in the Guinness Book of Records just yet. It was also possibly the first event of its kind.
CT marketing director Janlyn Nesbett said they couldn’t find any other transit organizations that had sponsored such an event.
The donated new or “gently used” coats will go to foster children throughout Snohomish County, some of whom enter foster homes with just the clothes on their backs.
“We rescue children out of volatile situations almost daily, and often they come to us without an extra change of clothing,” said Dora Alcorta, community resource program manager for DSHS.
Gia Wesley, area administrator for DSHS, told the crowd gathered in the parking lot in the drizzling rain and cold that foster families get only a small clothing allowance, about $200 a year. Between how fast kids grow and their penchant for losing things, Wesley said coats are in high demand.
Wesley estimated there are about 800 children in foster care in the county.
“This is a wonderful example of community support in helping those most in need,” she said.
“I’ve never seen a community get behind a project quicker than Snohomish County residents do,” said Cathy Reese, a CT board member.
She pointed out that the chilly autumn day was perfect for the event. It was easy for those attending to appreciate the value of a warm coat.
Even before the final count was announced, Nesbett was making plans for next year. “We hope it will gain momentum,” she said.
She envisioned expanding the operation to involve other transit systems, such as King County Metro and Pierce Transit. Future drives also could include shoes and other clothing.
In the meantime, Pearce said CT will submit the “world record” results to the people at Guinness.
Marcie Miller is a reporter for the Herald in Everett.
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