ALEF Students Hold Coat Drive

Winter is coming, and we all know what that means: it is going to get cold. As a result, we have to put away our summer clothes and dig through our closets to find scarfs, toboggans, and jackets. Unfortunately, not everyone has that privilege. To help in satisfying that need, ALEF is holding a coat drive.

    Kelsey Walls, president of ALEF, states that they are hosting this coat drive as one of the four service projects that they do each semester. Walls explains that ALEF stands for Appalachian Leadership and Education Foundation and it helps students in our area. “It’s a scholarship program that strives to help our generation grow into the leaders for tomorrow. ALEF pushes us to be the best person and leader that we can be, have integrity and respect for everyone else as well as ourselves. ALEF was founded by Gen. Robert ‘Doc’ Fogelsong, a 4-star General in the US Air Force from McDowell County, West Virginia,” states Walls.

    It is extremely important for students to get involved with this service project for our local community. “I think it’s important for students to donate coats so that they can give back to the community. This is where we learn, grow, and live. We take so much, it’s nice to give back to the community that gives to us,” Walls says.

    Cole Hollifield, a member of ALEF, has also helped with this project in a couple of different ways. “I contacted the main office at the student center, and then got John David to approve the idea. I also came up with ideas as to where to place the bins,” states Hollifield.

    If interested in donating, the bins are located near the Welcome Center in the Student Center, the bookstore in the Student Center, near the housing office in the Student Center and North Tower lobby.

    Hollifield agrees with Walls on the importance of this service project. They both believe that it is extremely important for the members within our community. “It’s important because so many times good clothes go to waste when they could be used for a greater purpose. There are so many kids in the surrounding area that could use them,” he says.

    Hollifield says that you have to make your time in college really count. “I really enjoy helping others and making [an] impact on the community. One day I want to be able to look back and see that my time at Concord mattered,” says Hollifield.

    Their goal is to receive 25-30 coats, which can be any type of jacket that people are willing to donate. The week of finals, ALEF will be taking all of the coats that they get to the Salvation Army. So students, faculty and staff have the opportunity to help them reach their goal until December 5.