The Rotary Club of Jefferson this fall tapped into a national Rotary program to provide new, warm coats for almost 100 students in grades K-6 in the Greene County school district.
Rotary district governor John Ockenfels and his wife Deb, also a Rotarian, have adopted “Operation Warm” as their project during John’s term of office. Deb Ockenfels is pictured with Jefferson Rotary Club president Tim Christensen and two of the coats at a recent Rotary meeting. The Ockenfels’ goal is 4,000 coats provided to children in District 6000, which is primarily southern Iowa but includes Jefferson on its north edge.
“Operation Warm” has provided 100,000 new coats since 1998. Coats are available at a wholesale cost of $18 or less when Rotarians and Rotary clubs pool their funds for bulk purchases.
The local Rotary Club contributed almost $600, which was matched by a Rotary District 6000 grant, allowing the purchase of close to 100 coats.
