26th Annual Share the warmth: Collection of warm winter clothing ends December 12
THIS YEAR, the Share the Warmth campaign has over 20 collection sites around Ithaca and Tompkins County. Donations of clean new or gently used winter clothing will be gratefully collected, sorted, and distributed across the area by volunteers from a number of partner organizations: the Ithaca, Dryden, and Trumansburg Rotary Clubs; Cornell University; Ithaca College; Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga; and Finger Lakes ReUse.
The familiar “red box” collection bins can be found at locations including:
- Agway True Value Home Center (Cayuga Mall),
- BorgWarner Morse Systems (Warren Rd.),
- CFCU Community Credit Union (Main Branches),
- Gimme! Coffee (506 W. State St.),
- Island Health & Fitness (Taughannock Blvd. and Community Corners),
- Ithaca College Campus Center,
- Locations around the Cornell campus,
- Ithaca Community Childcare Center (579 Warren Rd.),
- Ithaca High School Main Office,
- Kendal at Ithaca,
- Mama Goose (430 W. State St.),
- P&C Fresh,
- Seneca Place (inside Tioga St. entrance),
- Triphammer Marketplace (outside Ithaca Bakery),
- Wegmans,
- YMCA,
- Dryden Community Center Café,
- Trumansburg: Shur-Save and St. James Catholic Church
All winter clothing in good repair is accepted. There is a special need for larger-sized clothing (2X and up) and large-sized boots (13 and up), as well as coats, snow pants, boots, hats, scarves, gloves, and mittens for all, especially for children—and blankets. Each article of clothing donated should be new or gently used, and clean for future recipients.
Share the Warmth was initiated by the Ithaca Rotary Club in 1987 on the Cornell campus and then in 1993 throughout the county. Last year, the program distributed more than 4,307 items to 527 households across Tompkins County.
Currently the Director of Alumni Affairs, emeritus, at Cornell University, Mary Berens graduated from Cornell and returned to her hometown near Rochester, N.Y., where she worked as a travel agent for 2 years before joining the Public Affairs staff at Cornell. Her 32-year career at Cornell included a variety of fundraising, alumni relations, and volunteer and staff management assignments. An Ithaca resident since 1982, Mary is married to Paul Feeny and they have 2 children, Richard and Sarah, ages 47 and 46.
The Dozen Dinner Draw, initiated by the Ithaca Rotary Club’s International Service Committee, is modeled on a similar raffle organized by a Rotary Club in the Toronto area. When Dennis Gray, a former member of that club, relocated to the Ithaca area, he was impressed with the variety of fine dining establishments in Tompkins County and thought the raffle would be a great fit for the community.
“Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation do such tremendous work around the world and our Club wants to raise the profile of these initiatives in our community,” added Nancy Potter, co-chair of the Rotary Club of Ithaca’s International Service Committee, which is organizing the fundraiser. “Ticket buyers have a 1 in 40 chance of winning a fabulous prize and your generous contribution supports long-term recovery for Puerto Rico.”