Wrapped in Warmth

Written By: Marlene Osteen | Issue: November 2024

The Mountaintop Rotary Club of Highlands is once again inviting the community to rally for its annual coat and toy drive, working to ensure that no one on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau has to face the winter without proper clothing. With growing demand, the need for donations is greater than ever this year.

The coat drive – now in its fifth year – launched on September 29 and continues until March 15, 2025. Donation boxes are already set up across town, making it easy to give. The collection boxes are located at six churches, the Highlands Recreation Center, First Bank Highlands, Highlands PAC, Don Leon’s, Blue Bike Café, and the Cullasaja Club lobby.

Or you can drop off coats, scarves, gloves, hats, and sweaters at the Highlands Emergency Council, open Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M., and Saturdays, 8:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.

“Every coat, scarf, glove, and hat you donate makes a real difference,” says Jim Spencer of Mountaintop Rotary Club. “This is our chance to ensure everyone in the community is taken care of. We encourage people to clean out their closets and give whatever they can.”

Last year’s coat drive brought in nearly 5,000 winter garments, and this year, the goal is to exceed that number. The Highlands Emergency Council and other local partners, like the Boys and Girls Club, will distribute the donations to those in need.

The toy drive kicked off on November 1 and runs through New Year’s Day. Last year, around 100 local children received Christmas gifts thanks to the generosity of donors. Working with the Highlands Emergency Council, Mountaintop Rotary receives a list of children’s sizes and gift preferences. To maintain privacy, the HEC keeps the recipients’ identities confidential. Donors can pick up an ornament from Christmas trees set up at various locations like First Citizens’ Bank and First Presbyterian Church of Highlands, and the United Methodist Church. Each ornament features a child’s name, age, and wish list, and donors return the unwrapped gift along with the ornament to the HEC.

By donating to the coat or toy drive, you’re not just giving material items—you’re offering warmth, joy, and a sense of community to those who need it most. For those who don’t have winter garments to give, monetary donations are welcome to help purchase new coats and toys for families in need at MTRgives.org.

Let’s join forces to ensure everyone has a warm coat and a special gift to unwrap this holiday season. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps, and the impact you can make is tremendous.

For more information on the coat and toy drives and the Highlands Emergency Council, contact the council at (828) 526-4357, or visit mountaintoprotaryclubhighlands.org.