YOUR AD HERE »

Coats offer a little warmth in winter

Couple brings free jackets to South Routt County residents

Alexis DeLaCruz

— After distributing free coats to families in Hayden, Clark and Steamboat Springs, Wayne and Rebecca Eller realized they had missed their friends in Oak Creek and South Routt County.

“We have some really good friends in Oak Creek that started calling us and telling us that they needed coats but that they couldn’t get to Steamboat to get them,” he said. “It made me feel like I had forgotten my friends in Oak Creek.”

During the Oak Creek Town Board meeting Thursday night, Eller asked the board to use the Town Hall as a distribution center for the coats.



The board agreed to allow Eller to use the Town Hall from 3 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Residents in need of a coat are encouraged to come by and pick one up, Eller said.



“I know folks are strapped for cash, which is why we wanted to bring the coats to them,” he said.

The new or fairly new coats are available in men’s, women’s and children’s sizes, Eller said. All the coats have been professionally laundered and are ready to wear.

Ideally, the coats would have been distributed before Christmas, though just getting the coats out is important, Eller said.

“I don’t think there is anything wrong with a Jan. 2 Christmas,” he said.

For women or children who might need a coat in a size not available, the Ellers are prepared to purchase a coat for that person free of charge with personal funds or donations from other people.

The coat drive is sponsored by the Ellers and Love INC of the Yampa Valley, which stands for In the Name of Christ. The organization has provided more than 400 coats to Moffat and Routt county residents.

-To reach Alexis DeLaCruz, call 871-4234

or e-mail adelacruz@steamboatpilot.com


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Steamboat and Routt County make the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.