Clothing drive for veterans on until March 1

Veterans have given everything to support their country. Now Williams residents can give back to local veterans in need through a clothing and supply drive.

The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the Matthew James Broehm Veterans of Foreign Wars Post (VFW) No. 12128 organized the drive.

Williams resident Donna Rae Medina, a DAR member, described the nonprofit as "a prestigious national organization where in order to join you have to be able to prove direct lineage back to an ancestor that fought in the American Revolution or helped or assisted."

The organization promotes aid for veterans of all wars, education, scholarships and patriotism. Coconino County has about 38 DAR members.

Medina started the clothing and supply drive Thanksgiving week. It will continue until March 1 and the donations will be available to local veterans.

"This is something I wanted to do for my community," she said. "To me, this is my two cents worth of patriotic duty that I can donate."

Organizers are collecting warm clothing items for men and women of all sizes, as well as pillows, blankets, sleeping bags and basic toiletry items like toothbrushes and soap.

"It's just to build up a small reserve of needed items for homeless veterans, especially since it's been such a cold winter," Medina said. "Think of it this way: if every household in town just donated one thing...think of all the stuff that they would have on hand when it's needed."

Organizers are accepting new and slightly used items for the drive. Medina said people could clean out their closets and donate whatever they no longer use.

"Whatever anybody can give," she said. "We're not offering a handout, we're offering some assistance to people that have fought and given everything they have for their country. And as a community we can give back a little."

People can drop off donations on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the VFW in Canyon Vista Mall, 117 Route 66.

More information about the clothing drive is available from Medina at (928) 525-1118. More information about DAR is available at cocodar@yahoo.com.