Help Keep Pontiac Families Warm this Winter! Drop-Off Night on Dec. 12 encourages community to donate coats

Next time you grab your winter coat or jacket to head out the door, imagine yourself or your child walking to school or church without any coat at all in frigid weather. That coatless scenario is one that Lorenzo Sewell, Woodside Bible Church - Pontiac pastor, observed over and over again last winter.

“It was heart-breaking to see children go out into the bitter cold without warm winter coats. We did what we could to meet that need. This year, together, we can do more,” said Sewell.

Woodside is tackling the issue head-on with a “Keep Pontiac Families Warm” coat collection as part of its annual Christmas Serve projects.

“Thousands of people in Pontiac will suffer this winter because they don’t have warm winter clothing. We want to change that,” said Lexie Schwarze, Woodside’s Life Impact Ministry director.

The goal is to collect 5,000 coats. To help reach that goal, Woodside will host a Community Drop-off Night from 5 to 9 p.m., Friday, Dec. 12, at its Troy campus, located at 6600 Rochester Road between 19 Mile Road and South Boulevard.

“We will be collecting coats, hats and warm gloves. Items can be dropped off at the Troy campus on Dec. 12,” said Schwarze. “On Drop-In Night bring a winter coat and stay for an evening of Christmas music and bonfires, s’mores and hot cocoa.

“We would be more than happy to have local businesses and community groups donate winter outerwear or money to buy these items,” Schwarze said. To get involved, contact her at 248-879-8533 or email LexieSchwarze@woodsidebible.org for more information.

Coats, hats and gloves will be distributed to Pontiac school children and their families at a Christmas Celebration from 1-5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 20, at Pontiac High School. The school district has provided Woodside with a list of students in need of winter outerwear.

After cookies, hot chocolate, and Christmas music and following the Christmas message, winter wear will be distributed. Volunteers from Woodside’s Royal Oak campus will serve as party hosts.

Woodside Bible Church is a non-denominational church with nine campuses in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties, including a campus in White Lake. Its tenth campus is an Internet site, http://woodsidebible.churchonline.org/, which broadcasts services on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.

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