For the 10th year in a row, the Broken Bow Elks Lodge #1688 gathered coats, hats, gloves and scarves to keep the residents of Custer County and beyond warm and cozy through the cold winter months.
The coat drive officially ended January 8. This year, organizer Paul Loy reported the group fell just three short of their goal, collecting 347 coats to be donated. Still, the project has come a long way since its inception, and Loy was sure to credit the generous donors from around the area for the project’s success.
“We started out, I think the first year was 60, 10 years ago,” said Loy, continuing, “It’s the people that live over at Sargent, the people that live down in Ansley, Berwyn, wherever that they bring coats in for us, and of course a lot of coats come from Broken Bow.”
In total, 2,171 coats have been donated over the past 10 years, along with 603 caps, 619 pairs of gloves, and many other items.
The coats and other cold-weather clothes were dropped off for donation at the Custer County Chief, and have been available to be picked up by anyone who needed them at the Community Connection in Broken Bow. With the weather only just now turning cold, Loy noted the possibility that some of the collected items still remain.
“I would imagine that few left,” said Loy. “Probably more in the adults sizes than anything, but that’s okay – adults have to stay warm too. And all I care is that I put a smile on somebody’s face and they walk out.”
In addition, residents of Brookstone View have been perennial partners in the project, making hats, gloves and scarves for the drive, at no cost to the Elks.
The Broken Bow Elks extend their sincere appreciation to each person that donated items to the drive, saying, “Each of you helped make this event a total success for our communities in the Custer County area. It could not be accomplished without your donations.”
Loy noted with the goal for next year to collect 375 coats, its not to early to start thinking about the 11th Annual Elks Coat Drive in the fall and winter of 2026.
