Volunteers help Hundreds at annual Butte Cares/Harrington Pepsi Clothing Drive

Over 1000 people were welcomed to a department store-sized selection of donated clothing and winter gear as well as a warm meal and access to a wide variety of community based charities and organizations at the annual Butte Cares/Harrington Pepsi/Townsquare Media Clothing Drive which took place Saturday at the Butte Plaza Mall.  In fact, it was on the site of a former department store on which the event took place.  Over a thousand were helped but an equal number of donors and volunteers made the event a reality and a big note of thank you is certainly in order.

We certainly could not have made this event anything at all were it not for the generous individuals, families, businesses and organizations who donated the thousands of items that were given away.  We also could not have brought this project to live without the donation drop off locations this year which were Walmart, Ace Hardware, Steele's Furniture Warehouse of Butte, the Butte Chamber of Commerce, the Butte Silver Bow Courthouse, the Butte Family YMCA, 406 Nutrition, Our Lady of the Rockies, East Middle School and Dee Motor Company of Anaconda.  For the sheer number of man hours involved we have to extend our gratitude to Butte Cares who again not only showed up but made things shine.

We want to thank the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for showing up along with the Butte Family YMCA, Butte 4Cs, AWARE Early Head Start, Roots Birth and Women's Health, volunteers from the League of Women Voters and also the Butte-Silver Bow Health Department who created a strong support space for families in need.

59 people at the event walked away looking good as local cosmetologists Destiny Johnson, Michelle Gordon, Cydnie Perkio, Shauna Lisac, and Nikki McClain provided complimentary haircuts.

Clearwater Credit Union, LAsist Behavioral Health and Jake Masters with Platinum Real Estate created an incredible Santa Land that was enjoyed to the fullest by many famililes.

Through the generosity of Matthew Dickerhoof and the Butte Plaza Mall, the event was able to operate at it's tremendous size and quality, and through the generosity of the Butte Civic Center, Sun Rental and the Legion Oasis, tables and chairs were provided to create a welcoming layout.

Behind the scenes there were hundreds at work in many different ways.  Pizza Ranch fed volunteers all week leading up to the event while Harrington Pepsi took care of quenching everybody's thirst.  They also did a lot of the heavy lifting and put up all of the signs.  McGree Trucking was on garbage duty, Butte Produce and Supply kept things clean inside while Mike Thatcher and CCCS, Inc. provided free lunch for patrons and Dr. Shearman donated oral hygiene products.

We had lots of help from local schools as well.  Pathways Academy was there every morning and Whittier Elementary was incredibly energetic and supportive.  Butte Central has a squad on site today doing final clean up and we could not have done it without the help of East Middle School's Student Council and Builders Club as well as the Interact Club of Butte for their leadership, teamwork and heart.  Many individual students showed up as well and they, too, are greatly appreciated.