Brookings register | Brookings invited to share the heat

BROOKINGS – Winter is approaching and the public is invited to help keep Brookings warm.

Share the Warmth is a one-day event to provide free winter clothing to those in need in Brookings County. The event is hosted by the Brookings County Salvation Army and takes place September 29 at Old Sanctuary (928 Fourth St., Brookings).

“Share the Warmth’s goal is to help ease the burden of the cost of winter clothing for children and families as it is a necessity in South Dakota,” said Samantha Turnquist. , Director of the Brookings County Salvation Army Service Center. “Last year, we distributed coats to over 1,400 people. “

Each year, Share the Warmth relies heavily on donations from community members, including new and lightly used winter items as well as monetary donations. For items, donations focus on new and lightly used winter coats for all ages.

“We focus on coats of all ages and also have options of weatherproof gloves, snow pants and boots so kids can attend recess,” said Turnquist.

To raise additional funds for Share the Warmth, the Brookings County Salvation Army is hosting a VFW Pancake Feed Fundraiser from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, September 19 at VFW (520 Main Ave., Brookings). All funds received will be used to support the Share the Warmth program.

To learn more, visit www.stwbrookings.org. To make a monetary donation, visit www.stwbrookings.org or send a tax-deductible donation to the Brookings County Salvation Army (Share the Warmth), 410 Seventh St., Brookings, SD 57006.

The Share the Warmth event is free and open to anyone living in Brookings County. While the goal is to serve school-aged children, if there are individuals and families in need, it is the organization’s mission to serve as many people in need as possible.

“We have many new families in town from warmer climates who have no idea of ​​the need and cost of winter outerwear until they get here,” Turnquist said.

To receive articles during the Share the Warmth event, registration is required and open until September 20. Individuals can register online at www.stwbrookings.org.

In addition to relying on donations, Share the Warmth also relies on more than 200 volunteers for its success. Volunteers are of all ages and abilities. There are lots of possibilities for help including event setup, support day, cleanup crew and more

“Our volunteers gain so much from their experience,” said Turnquist. “Many of them are parents themselves and can see their child when helping a child in need. We are living our mission and our vision through this event. We care about “doing the most good” by asking neighbors to help neighbors and providing them with an experience of both giving and receiving.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities, visit www.stwbrookings.org.