Highland Lakes hosts coat drive

For Christmas last year, Terry Crutchfield wanted to do something special. 

So the Highland Lakes resident made signs to put up in her neighborhood, and she spread the word through social media that she was collecting coats to be donated to Young Stars Inc. and the YWCA Interfaith Hospitality House for Families.  

People were instructed to drop coats, hats, gloves and scarves off at the front or back gate of the neighborhood so that Crutchfield could pick them up. She never expected the response she would get from Warming Communities.  

“I was overwhelmed by the response the neighborhood had to the drive,” Crutchfield said. “It was a lot of coats.”

In fact, Crutchfield said the amount she was able to donate filled her car to the brim with about 130 coats and a whole bag filled with gloves, scarves and hats. She held the collection up until Dec. 14 and was able to donate the coats to both nonprofits before Christmas. 

Crutchfield, a Realtor with Remax Southern Homes on U.S. 280, said she picked the Young Stars Inc. and the Interfaith Hospitality House through a friend who is works directly with the groups.  Young Stars Inc. is an organization devoted to improving the lives of young people through sports education, and Interfaith is a homeless shelter where families can stay together.  

Crutchfield plans to hold the coat drive again this year due to last year’s success. 

“I’d love to get more, maybe even double the amount.”