Students give out coats, gloves
By Steve Herring
Published in News on December 14, 2016 10:42 AM
News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Ali Holton's arms are a blur as she has Brogden Primary student Jayden Martin move around to make sure the coat he picked out fits properly. Ms. Holton and Morgan Meadows, center, are members of the University of Mount Olive Collegiate FFA.
News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Samantha Byrd, right, helps Brogden Primary student Jairo Figueroa try on a pair of gloves. Ms. Byrd is president of the University of Mount Olive Collegiate FFA chapter.
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News-Argus/STEVE HERRING
Brogden Primary School student Dniyah Williams is all smiles as she talks to Santa Claus Friday at the school. She is wearing the new winter coat, toboggan and gloves she picked out during the Coats for Kids program sponsored by the University of Mount Olive Collegiate FFA chapter.
DUDLEY -- Santa, normally the center of attention in a room full of children, sat patiently on stage Friday at Brogden Primary School as students picked out brand new winter coats, gloves and toboggans.
That mission accomplished, the students still in their new winterwear got a chance to talk with Santa before heading back to class.
Coats were arranged by size from size four to adult on one table while gloves and toboggans were laid out on separate table.
A similar scene played out last Wednesday at Carver Elementary School as part of the 12th annual Coats for Kids project sponsored by the University of Mount Olive Collegiate FFA.
FFA members helped direct the students to the right size coat. They then had the students stretch and bend to make sure the coat fitted properly.
The project goes over well and is well received, Brogden Primary Principal Youlonda Wynn said.
"They get good use out of their coats because you see them in them every day after today," she said. "It is just a phenomenal project and particularly this year. It has been wonderful in years past, but this year because so many of our families were impacted by Hurricane Matthew we have a lot of displaced students, a lot of students who lost absolutely everything.
"So it is means a lot more. It means a tremendous amount every year, but this year, particularly, it means a lot more because our families are still digging out. We are just incredibly appreciative and like I said, we will see the kids in their coats and their hats and their gloves every day after today."
Between 3,000 and 5,000 coats have been distributed over the past 12 years said Dr. Sandy Maddox, chair of the Division of Agriculture and director of the Lois G. Britt Agribusiness Center at the University of Mount Olive.
Samantha Byrd of Hope Mills, president of the University of Mount Olive Collegiate FFA, said Friday was a "treat" for her.
"I came from an area that was very rural and was always surrounded by agriculture so I found my love for it there," said Ms. Byrd, a sophomore. "Eventually when I went on to high school I joined the FFA. I did everything that I possibly could. I loved it so much I decided to go and pursue a career in agricultural education. I wound up at the University of Mount Olive, and I have loved it ever since.
"Over the course of this semester we have reached out to the local community to receive funds and donations to purchase coats for Carver Elementary School and Brogden Primary School. One of the huge component in Collegiate FFA is service to our local community."
The area was heavily hit by the hurricane, Ms. Byrd said.
"This is one of our ways to give back and create service for our community," she said. "Our community loves us, and we love our community. It is honestly the greatest feeling in the world to know that kid is going on the bus today really warm and toasty. They will usually smile and hug you and say thank you.
"I know we are trying to prepare for our finals and get home to our families for Christmas. We have all had really a rough week so to round out our week by giving back and seeing the smiles on the kids' faces is all that I could ask for."
The schools are contacted about students who might need a new coat. School officials are also asked how any coats are needed and for sizes, she said.
The coats are purchased through Operation Warm Coats.
"Usually we try to get extras in case sizes are off," Ms. Byrd said.
"In the last three years we have been going to schools and we are over 300 coats every year," Ms. Maddox said. "It started slow. But Don Scott, he was the first director of the Agribusiness Center, and he chartered this Collegiate FFA."
Scott came up with the idea for the Coats for Kids project, she said.
"So we have just carried on that tradition," Ms. Maddox said. "We have about 90 members in it right now. We probably have 150 kids in ag. It is strong group. It is probably one of the stronger groups on campus as far as community service and leadership and things like that."
In high school, FFA is about building leadership, and there are a lot of competitions, Ms. Maddox said. On the collegiate level the focus is on community service and leadership, she said.
"They do a great job," she said. "They take a lot of time. They had to go out and get the donations, and that is a big job. The cost goes up every year, but we have had such great support from the community. They have always opened their pocketbooks to help us be able to meet our goal for getting the coats that are needed."
Not all students are comfortable with asking for donations, she said.
"So it builds their character that way to help them understand that sometimes that is part of it," Ms. Maddox said. "You have to reach out to people and encourage them to be a part of something like this. It is worth it every time we see the kids.
"It means more to my students to see the difference it makes than it probably makes to the kids. It is a big project, and they enjoy it."