One thing no one has been able to avoid since Christmas is the frigid cold gripping the region.
With temperatures hovering around -25 C or lower, and windchill making that seem much cooler, winter has made its presence known.
Being Canadian, most people are equipped to handle this frigid weather.
Trips are made into the long-forgotten storage closets where the cold weather gear was placed at the end of the previous year.
The gear is removed from storage and placed by the front door, where it remains as long as the temperatures remain frosty.
But what if you don’t have cold weather gear?
What if your cold weather coat wore out and you can’t afford to replace it?
A Stettler resident wants to help those in the community unable to afford new winter coats warm this winter by creating a “take a coat,leave a coat” rack which will be placed at Stettler Family and Community Support Services (FCSS).
The premise is that anyone with a spare winter jacket which is in good shape can leave it on the rack, and those in need can come take one.
Joby Wilson, who is setting up the rack, got the idea from a similar set up being done in Calgary.
“I thought, why can’t we do this in our small community of Stettler?” said Wilson.
“Especially in this cold weather, we don’t want to see anyone go without.”
Since putting out an initial query on Facebook to see if anyone would be interested in donating jackets to the cause Wilson said she has received over 30 responses, with drop offs starting Jan. 6, 2022, at Cuttin’ Corners.
Donations can also be left at O.K. Tire Stettler and FCSS.
Wilson has had several racks donated for the project.
Anyone with questions, or wishing to aid in other ways, can contact Wilson at 403-820-1774.
