Yes, Kermit, it’s hot outside and we are asking for coats. The annual Coat-A-Kid fundraising drive is in full force, even though it is blazing hot and the thought of freezing temperatures is far from most everyone’s mind. A call to Kermit Frank from Dolese Brothers Co. last week was met with tongue in cheek teasing. “How can you be thinking of coats when it is 100 degrees?” asked Frank. Being the wonderful community partner that he is, he went on to ask for an invoice.

The Oklahoma City community is full of people with huge hearts. Already this year donors have contributed more than $40,000 to The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public School’s annual coat-A-Kid program. This is an amazing start, but is a far cry from filling all of our needs. We estimate needing a total of $130,000 to coat every child in need throughout the school district. The coat orders will be placed not long after school starts, to be delivered before temperatures fall.

The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools works in partnership with the OKCPS Community Relations team each year to be sure that no student is without a warm coat. Thousands of students have this need each year, which is unfathomable for most of us. School personnel share many stories about students arriving at school on very cold days dressed in sweatshirts and hoodies because that is all they have. Coat-A-Kid ensures this won’t happen.

Bluesource, a vendor housed in Guthrie, provides the coats at a low cost and provides many color and size options. An important element of this program is that our kids are receiving new coats. The joy on the faces of these students as they choose the color coat they want is a priceless thing to see. Seeing them try on their new coats and wanting to keep them on, even if it is 80 degrees outside, warms hearts, not just bodies.

A winter coat is one of the most basic of needs and no child should have to worry about how to stay warm in the cold. Thanks to Kermit Frank and other generous partners, this is a worry that we are able to alleviate.

To assist with Coat-A-Kid or any of the Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools efforts, go to www.okckids.com.

Read Mary Mélon’s original NewsOK editorial.