Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Rotarians Warming the Hearts of Children of Needy Families

Continuing its 12-year program, Rotary Club of Lake Forest Lake Bluff plans to distribute new winter coats to needy children throughout the Waukegan, North Chicago and Highwood communities. Over the past 12 years, the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Rotary Club has distributed over 5,600 new winter coats to children in need in these communities.

A winter coat is an essential item in Northern Illinois. A coat provides more than just warmth, it allows a child to attend school, where they not only receive an education, they also receive meals. A new coat provides the added benefit of increasing self-esteem - who doesn't like getting new things?

The Rotary Club is working with Operation Warm, Inc., a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to distributing high quality, new winter coats to children living in need. Operation Warm was founded in 1998 and to date has distributed millions of new winter coats throughout North America. The Rotary Club acquires coats from Operation Warm at wholesale-like prices - around $20 per coat - and distributes them to children in need.

Area churches, civic organizations and citizens are invited to help the Rotary Club with this project by directing your tax-deductible donation to the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Rotary Club Foundation at lflbrotary.org or by contacting the Rotary club's community service chairperson David Schafer at (847) 234-5000, ext. 5410. 100% of funds raised for Operation Warm go directly to the purchase of new warm winter coats.

The Rotary Club of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff meets Wednesday mornings at 7:15 for breakfast and a speaker. Membership is open to service oriented residents and workers in the area. Guests are welcome to attend. Club projects include local, national and international humanitarian projects. To learn more about the Rotary Club and its programs, visit lflbrotary.org.