Share the Warmth in Boone this Winter

 

Share the Warmth in Boone this Winter


With many of our neighbors being unemployed or underemployed and winter on the horizon, there’s even more need to share the warmth and help others to fend off the cold. The Mast General Store is hosting its 7th annual Share the Warmth coat, sweater and blanket collection campaign from now until November 30th.

As we scurry about enjoying the cool days of fall, we all know that colder temperatures are on the way, and many of us are ready to face whatever weather the coming season has to offer. Unfortunately, there are some in our communities who aren’t as prepared.

The Mast General Store, along with Columbia Sportswear, invites you to share the warmth in your community by "sharing" your clean, gently-worn coats, jackets, sweaters, gloves, hats, and even blankets so others can be warm this winter. You can drop off your items at Mast General Store in downtown Boone, and they will be given to the April 2011 tornado victims in Eastern Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia as well as Green Valley Elementary School.

“It was important to us that our community partner have direct access to those in need,” said Fred Martin, president of the Mast Store. “Our employees, our customers, and Columbia Sportswear are all eager to help our neighbors, so we want to ensure that these coats, jackets, sweaters and blankets will go to individuals who can use them.”

This past spring, thousands of Eastern Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia residents were permanently displaced when a historic outbreak of tornados swept away homes across the region. Countless losses have taken a tremendous toll on folks ravaged by the storms of April 2011. The items you donate will be given to people in those areas who are still living in the aftermath of those catastrophic weather events.

This is the seventh year the Mast Store has undertaken this project to help provide coats for those in need in their home communities, and it’s the fifth time that Columbia has generously offered their own donation of 326 coats, which will be divided across all Mast Store communities. “Our customers are always so helpful when we identify a need. We all have jackets and coats hanging in our closets or in storage that can be put to better use,” said Martin. “If you can help, please drop off your clean coats, jackets and blankets by November 30th.”