CRESTVIEW — Two Baker School seventh-graders are doing their part to keep kids warm this winter.
Reanna Vlasic and Emma Wagner have collected about 130 "Coats for Cuties." They give the coats to children in need. children. But meeting their 100-coat goal on Nov. 18 gave them an idea: change the goal.
Now, the girls want to collect 200 coats.
"The first 100 (coats) were collected in honor of Baker School’s centennial celebration, but we decided to not stop there," Emma, 13, said.
"We hope to collect another 100 since we’ve been so blessed with donations," Reanna, 12, said. "The more kids we can help, the better."
Inspiration for the project began, Reanna said, when "our Junior Beta Club, sponsored by Mrs. Stacy Burlison, challenged us to earn 10 community service hours by the end of the semester."
The girls accepted the challenge, and considered organizing a canned food drive, a shoe drive and a mid-year school supply drive — "Pencils get lost, crayons get dull and erasers shrink!" Emma said — but they settled on the coat drive.
"This project touched our hearts, and we decided to let the idea grow," Reanna said.
The students credit Kim Fountain's leadership class for advertising the coat drive on campus and helping with collections.
"At Walker Elementary, Mrs. Alicia Humphrey has helped us distribute coats to cuties there!" Emma said. "At Baker, Mrs. Jennifer Stewart and Mrs. Shannon Boone have helped us get jackets out to students.
"We are very appreciative for their help."
Emma and Reanna take the jackets home and wash them before distributing them. This is their way to help classmates and others who need to stay warm — a familiar, unsettling sight.
"It was always sad for Reanna and me to see kids come to school without jackets when the temps turned cold, or on rainy days," Emma said. "We’re helping cuties stay warm this winter.
"God called us to be his hands and feet; this is one way we can show God’s love to our fellow students."
Now, Emma and Reanna are extending a challenge of their own.
"We challenge our fellow middle school students to see a need and do something about it!" Emma said.
"You are never too young to touch the hearts of the community around you."
Event organizers say outerwear should be machine washable. Donors can drop off new or gently used children's coats at these locations:
●Brian Wagner, Baker School, 1369 14th St., Baker
●Lori Wagner, Walker Elementary School, 2988 Stillwell Blvd., Crestview
●North Okaloosa Medical Center Surgery Center, 151 Redstone Ave. SE, Crestview
● See www.facebook.com/coatsforcuties/ for more information.
HOW TO HELP
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker students collect coats for local children