Coat the Community Brings in 100s of Coats for Champaign Community

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Oct. 20, 2014 - PRLog -- On October 18^th, 2014, many Champaign-Urbana community members were warmly enjoying their Saturday morning. Whether that meant sleeping in with loved ones, getting ready for a party with friends later that night, or some other leisurely weekend activity, the commonality between most Champaign County citizens are that they are warm. Not for everyone however, some members are not as fortunate.

The Bechtel Group of Keller Williams Realty sponsored the 11^th annual Coat the Community coat drive at County Market on the west side of Champaign. Every year for the past 11 years Scott Bechtel, his wife Lisa, and the rest of the Bechtel Group real estate team have devoted their Saturday morning to gathering coats to give to give to the community.

Paired with The Salvation Army, The Bechtel Group typically gathers hundreds of coats and, depending on the year, even over one thousand! No matter if the number is 1,000 or 10, The Bechtel Group is merely happy to help. “Coat the Community was never something we had dreamed of doing, it hadn’t been a major goal in our lives to set up a coat drive. It really wasn’t until we saw how many people were in need and how much we could help by donating our time and efforts to raising this awareness. After a few years, I guess we just kept doing it and have been doing it ever since”.

Staffed with volunteers from The Salvation Army, News Channel 15, 92.5 The Chief, and The Bechtel Group, this operation runs pretty smooth after so many years. Lisa Bechtel comments “everyone who helps out has been helping for years and kind of know how it goes by now. It is great because all we have to do it help get the word out and we have so many who know how great of a coat drive it is and are so willing to help”.

Some people drop off a coat of two, stay for a cup of coffee and a doughnut, and enjoy catching up with Scott and The Bechtel Group, while others are in more of a hurry, drive up to the coned off lane, roll down the window, drop the coats and drive off. Both of the two ways are very much appreciated; as long as coats are being donated.

The majority of the volunteers will be coming back again next year. Hundreds of people, men, women, and children alike, will all be a little warmer this winter because of The Bechtel Group’s Coat the Community coat drive. If you are interested in donating a coat in next years’ coat drive The Bechtel Group can be reached by email at Scott@Bechtelhomes.com or by calling (210) 239-7202.