Huron County View

Clothe-A-Child ramping up efforts for the holidays




BAD AXE – For many families across the county, essential items like clothes are not taken for granted.

Local program Clothe-A-Child is well aware of this. The program and its band of volunteers have been putting clothes and other much needed basics into the homes of hundreds of children across the area during the holiday season for decades.

Currently the program, run by the Interfaith Council, is in its final stages of trying to get those items into the hands of those in need by early December.

After a year’s worth of work accumulating goods, Interfaith Council President Pauline Goretski said the group will be getting together on Monday, Dec. 7 at the Bad Axe Free Methodist Church, to sort everything out.

The next day, beginning at 9 a.m., Dec. 8, volunteers will arrive to sort and wrap items for each child, before delivering the packages to families across the county.

The only change this year will be the spreading out of people across the church to adhere to social distancing during the sorting and wrapping process.

“I just feel so grateful for the people that we have doing the program,” said Goretski.

The program originally started out as a way to provide underprivileged children in Bad Axe with an outfit to wear for Christmas. Back then, a group of generous individuals were sewing clothes for the kids, which is how Goretski got her start.

Eventually, the Interfaith Council took it over. The organization then began buying the clothes and it expanded to the entire county.

Around 15 volunteers from the council pitch in to make things work each year. Various other volunteers across the county chip in with wrapping duties and delivery.

Last year, the council served a total of 350 children.

While much of the work will be frantically done on Dec. 7 and 8, the shopping to make it happen takes place year-round, to seek the best deals.

The typical result is each child will at least receive a shirt, pants, pajamas and three pair of underwear and socks.

To make Clothe-A-Child possible, the group receives sizeable donations from various organizations and individuals across the county. Charitable donations to the program are tax deductible and can be sent to P.O. Box 55, Bad Axe, MI 48413.

For families that receive a package with the wrong gender of clothing or an incorrect size, the group is offering an exchange day on Dec. 18 at the church.

Any family in need in Huron County is encouraged to fill out a form and return to the council by Nov. 20. Forms can be picked up at most local churches.

For more information, contact Goretski at 989-269-8140.