Pictured: Greta and Eve Stirling
The best part of being in business are those relatively rare times when everyone playing is winning, when there are no losers. Coats for Kids is an ideal example of that principle. Marjorie and I have always felt the need to be generous to the community that supports and nourishes us, but we are also tough minded business owners with a deep sense of financial responsibility to our family, our employees and to all of those who depend upon us for their livelihood. Coats for Kids works along these lines: It provides us with an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to our community, and people appreciate that commitment. It also provides donors of all kinds with an opportunity to donate. Most importantly, it provides a vital service for people in need. When we considered the concept of Coats for Kids over thirty years ago, the question we asked repeatedly was, “Where is the downside of this?” The answer-- "There isn’t a down side. Everyone who participates wins."
During those first years it was our two small locations, with signs in the windows, and word of mouth to our clients. It was simple and direct. If you had a good coat you no longer needed, bring it to us. We will clean it and then donate it to someone who will be cold otherwise. Soon others wanted to help, wanted to join us in their own giving inclinations. Our first really significant advancement in the program came when WEZF radio, currently Star 92.9, offered to co-sponsor the program with us. They would spread the word over their air as a community service, we would accept the coats, clean them, and then WEZF would help us distribute the coats. We received thousands of coats. We received so many coats that a moving and storage company lent us the use of space to sort and process. These coats found their way into homes through schools, churches and other civic organizations. The outpouring of coats was almost more than we could handle. People could not wait to help. Others began to advertise the program as well. It simply grew from there, year to year. We could not have been more pleased with the effects, both personal and business, thatCoats for Kids was having on us.
In the recent past, Gadue’s has worked more closely than ever with the local schools to ensure that people who need clothes actually receive them. When you find the right coat for a specific person, it heals your own heart. There is a real and genuine joy that only comes from giving.
Gadue’s Dry Cleaning is a conduit for the generosity of neighbors helping neighbors. Nothing more. Sometimes, it takes an entire village to keep everyone safe, warm, healthy and vibrant. We are just a small player in that village.
