Paramus Coat Drive Stifled By Bedbug Concerns
PARAMUS, N.J. (WCBS 880) -- One New Jersey coat drive is having trouble raising enough money to match totals from previous years because of concerns about bedbugs.
In years past, the Bergen Community College Rotary Club's "Coins For Coats" drive has collected used coats.
However, caution over the creepy-crawly critters has stopped them from doing that this year.
"The reason we're not collecting used items is because of the bedbug issue. There were a lot of facilities that didn't want to take used items," club President Sherry Wilson told WCBS 880's Levon Putney.
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WCBS 880's Levon Putney on the Coins for Coats drive.
Still, water bottles across the college's campus were being filled with pennies, nickles, quarters and dollars bills.
Among the children at the school's Pre-K center baking and selling cookies for the drive was 4-year-old Lexi, who told Putney why she was helping out.
"We're all trying to help kids get coats because if they don't, they'll get cold," she said.
So far the group has raised about $300 -- enough to buy about 100 new coats. Wilson said the group was able to collect many more coats when used items were accepted.
If you would like to donate to the coat drive, you can do so by sending donations to the following address:
Bergen Community College -- Paramus Campus
C/O Sherry Wilson, College Rotary Club
Ender Hall, RM E-193
400 Paramus Rd.
Paramus, NJ 07652
