Donations Pour In During Clothing Drive For Together We Cope

TINLEY PARK, IL — Two trucks filled with coats, hats, gloves are scarves made their way to Together We Cope in Tinley Park Friday afternoon as a clothing drive that lasted throughout the fall came to a close. Elected officials who organized the effort were more than overwhelmed with the amount of donations that came pouring in at seven drop-off locations in Tinley and Orland Park over the past two months.

"We were shocked at the amount of clothes we received, the donations were absolutely amazing," Tinley Park Trustee Michael Glotz said. Glotz led the effort with Tinley Park Village Clerk Kristin Thirion.

Glotz said he and Thirion decided to start the coat drive "in account of the success that we have had helping residents appeal their real estate taxes."

In addition to dropping off items at Together We Cope, residents brought their gently used winter clothing to The Primal Cut Steakhouse, Joe Rizza Ford, the 7-Eleven at 171st Street and Oak Park Avenue, Orland Toyota, Bettenhausen Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep & Ram and Bettenhausen Orland Park.

Joe Rizza Ford and Bettenhausen Dodge provided the trucks for the drop-off, Glotz said.

On the day of the donation drop-off Glotz also presented Together We Cope Executive Director Kathryn Straniero with a $1,000 check from the One Tinley Park political action committee for the organization.

"For the winter, we wanted to find a way to help more people," Glotz said. "We thought this would be the best way to make a positive impact within our community helping a non-profit organization, like Together We Cope, assist those in need."