What's described as a "quick coat drive effort" by the Hall County Optimist Club and the Hall County Sheriff's Office Quick coat drive ended up providing 36 winter jackets to school children.
The effort came together when club leaders, including President Linda Brown and Board of Directors member Joyce Cantrell, contacted Sheriff Gerald Couch with the idea of providing coats to less-fortunate children.
Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officers scrambled last week to identify children in need of coats at a few elementary schools in the Hall County School District.
With names in hand on Tuesday, Dec. 17, the SROs, other sheriff's deputies and Sheriff Couch, along with some members of the club, went coat shopping at Walmart in Oakwood.
In all, the Club and its community partners were able to purchase 36 jackets for SROs to deliver to students ahead of the holidays. Walmart kicked in a gift card to assist.
This occurred during the same week the sheriff's office conducted its annual Christmas bicycle giveaway.