Girl Scouts Team With Local Business For Coat Drive

To make sure everyone on Long Island is warm this winter, local Girl Scouts have teamed up with Karp Buick in Rockville Centre to spread some warmth to those in need.

Members of Girl Scout Troop 2346 of Valley Stream delivered dozens of winter coats they’d been collecting for donation to Karp Automotive, one of 180 auto dealerships participating in the New York Cares annual coat drive through the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA). They were joined by Rockville Centre Mayor Francis X. Murray.

“My troop was so excited to come to the dealership and drop off these coats after all their hard work and enthusiasm resulted in so many coats for those who need them,” said Troop Leader Maria Guzman. “Community service is one of the foundational cornerstones of the Girl Scouts and it is wonderful to instill a love for charity work from such a young age.”

Since its relationship with New York Cares first began in 2012, the GNYADA team of participating dealers have led the pack in coat collection and have become the top multi-location collector, accounting for 10 percent of the total collected by New York Cares.

“It doesn’t feel like the holidays without giving back and we are so happy to spread the warmth alongside so many of our fellow New York auto dealers,” said David Karp, president of Karp Automotive. “Each year we’ve participated in the New York Cares coat drive I am moved by the generosity of our community in making these donations.”

Those who wish to donate coats can drop them off at Karp Automotive through the end of the month.

Girl Scouts Aracelys Lizana, left, Jaidylex Lizana and Tabitha Moore depositing winter coats they collected to donation bin in Karp Volvo. Photo courtesy Dominick Totino Photography