Coats for Kids begins its 41st campaign to keep those in need warm

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — For 41 years, organizations across the Greater Dayton area have come together for Coats for Kids to bring coats to families in need before winter weather arrives.

The program is almost as important for the sponsors as for the coat recipients.

Ashley Von Derau, owner of Rush Transportation and Logistics , is ecstatic to help bring coats to those in need for another year.

Rush Transportation handles distributing and collecting the familiar blue barrels used to collect the gently used or new coats.

“Extremely proud to have been a part of the organization and seen the success of it throughout the years,” said Von Derau.

When the donation period ends on Oct. 11, Rush Transportation’s drivers will collect the donation barrels and coats and take them to Cintas to be laundered. Then on Nov. 1, Rush will distribute the coats to the various pick-up locations across the region.

“It is very committed to our community and this is one of those great organizations to participate in and give back to the community in which we live,” said Von Derau.

Most of the bins can be found at LCNB National Bank locations (see a full list of participating branches here ). The barrels can be found just inside their front lobbies.

Dave Logsdan, an employee at the LCNB National Bank branch in Centerville, said the response of the community is par for the course. After just 24 hours, the donation barrel at his location was already more than half full.

He can’t wait to see the turnout this year.

“We just have seen real generous heart from people bringing the coats in and sometimes they come in faster than we’ve been able to get them back out,” said Logsdan. “We’ve had to put them on the chairs, put them in the offices, just so we have more room to put them in the barrel.”

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