NORTHBROOK, Ill. — The fall season means it’s time for Libertyville, Ill. (a suburb of Chicago)-based Rotary Sunrise to conduct its 2018 Coats for Vets collection drive.
The Coats for Vets campaign collects winter coats, jackets and other seasonal apparel for veterans throughout the northern Illinois area. Donations are being accepted now through Wed., Oct. 31.
Donations can be given to any member of Libertyville Rotary Sunrise, or dropped off at either of Zengeler Cleaners two Libertyville stores, the official collection locations for this year’s drive, the cleaners notes.
“Too many veterans return from their tours of duty, only to find it very challenging to find meaningful work,” says Tom Zengeler, president of Zengeler Cleaners and the 5th generation of Zengeler family leadership.
“As a result, many live at or below the poverty line — and that’s just not acceptable. We believe it’s our job to support them; after all, every American owes our way of life thanks to the service of our vets,” he says.
“With the number of conflicts in today’s world,” Zengeler continues, “there’s a continuous stream of veterans coming home who need jobs, food, clothing and housing. Coats for Vets is a great opportunity for each of us to address some of those needs and to show our appreciation in a meaningful way.”
The Coats for Vets campaign extends to all types of clothing, Zengeler notes. “In addition to coats and jackets,” he points out, “veterans also need blankets, gloves, hats and other seasonal apparel.
“This is a great time to look through your closet and donate items our vets need very badly — all donations are welcomed! With the generosity of those living in our area, we’re confident this year’s drive will once again be a huge success.”
Once the donations are gathered, the Zengeler team will inspect, repair as needed and clean every single item, it notes.
Next, Zengeler Cleaners will deliver the renewed items to the VA Hospital in time for Veterans Day on Sun., Nov. 11.
Rotary International currently has 33,000+ Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas, the cleaners notes. The members of these autonomous clubs are called rotarians, and they form a global network of 1.2 million business and professional leaders, all volunteering their time and talents to serve their communities and the world.
The Libertyville, Ill., Rotary Sunrise chapter was founded in 1987. Tom Zengeler is an active rotarian and charter member of Libertyville Rotary Sunrise.
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