Last week, the students at Finland Elementary and Highland Park Elementary went home with new winter gear as their schools were selected to participate in Coat Day Columbus, a local and national initiative that supplies thousands of children with stylish and warm coats at no cost to their families. The jackets were manufactured by the national nonprofit organization Operation Warm while the coats were purchased and donated to the area schools by the local nonprofit organization Bonzy Charities and their community partner, Germain of Columbus. Employees of the company served as the personal shoppers and the fitting guides for the more than 800 South-Western City School students who received new coats just in time for the turn of the weather. Evan Debo, the executive director of communications for SWCS, said the district was fortunate to have such “philanthropic and generous” donors who are committed to making an impact on the lives of their students. Pictured here demonstrating how finding the perfect coat had a positive impact on their day is fourth grader Juan Rangel Ramirez and his personal shopper Kevin Lunsford, an account executive at Germain Insurance Company. Rangel Ramirez said he had a great time trying on all the different coats and that he looked forward to showing off his “cool blue jacket” this winter.
