Knights help out with winter coat donation

Date: 12/14/2011

Dec. 14, 2011

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

CHICOPEE — When Joe Babineau watched students getting off a school bus during the winter wearing no coats, he started thinking about how he and the Father Dan Doyle Assembly of the Knights of Columbus could do something about it.

The solution was a coats drive and on Dec. 8, members of the Knights of Columbus gathered at the Council 69 on Granby Road to announce that 68 Chicopee youth would receive new winter coats this year.

Babineau explained both the Catholic and the public school systems developed a list of sizes and gender for the coat purchase. The names of the children were not disclosed to the Knights, he added.

Aida Gaouette and Knight Dan Therrian bought the coats on Black Friday, starting their shopping at 4 a.m. Gaouette said she used coupons to receive an additional discount and the new coats averaged about $15 each – regularly costing between $60 and $90.

Babineau said the group intends to make the coat drive an annual event.