Batavia Mothers Club wants your extra coats, clothing

Sometimes even a thrift store coat is beyond someone's budget.

Or maybe that person had to leave home to escape abuse so quickly that there wasn't time to pack a bag for themselves or their children.

That's where the Batavia Mothers Club Foundation's annual Coat and Clothing Drive can help.

The club is collecting items through Sept. 24 in bins at all Batavia public elementary schools, Rotolo Middle School, Batavia High School, the Batavia Public Library, the preschool at Immanuel Lutheran Church and Limestone Coffee and Tea.

The club wants clean winter coats, hats, scarves, gloves, mittens, sweaters, pants, shirts, socks and boots in good condition. And not just children's clothing - adult sizes are needed too.

The club gives the items to Two Rivers Head Start and the Batavia Clothes Closet.

Last year, it collected 147 coats, 212 accessories, 70 pairs of shoes and boots and 33 large bags of other clothing, said Katie Hulett, chairman of this year's drive.

She's already gotten a head start on the collection, having picked up 15 coats from her neighbors' garage sales this summer.

And then there is the locker closeout sweep from Batavia High School. At the end of the school year, school officials clean leftover items out of students' lockers and donate them to charity. Hulett picked up five bags of clothing.

"And I haven't started going through my closets!" she said with a laugh.

For more information, call Hulett at (630) 406-6964.

The foundation, founded in 1934, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children in the Fox Valley. Each year it donates more than $25,000 to local charities, including the Batavia Clothes Closet and the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry, whose activities support this mission. It is open to all mothers who are interested in local philanthropic, service and community activities. Visit bataviamothersclub.org for more information.