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5th District, Operation Winter team up to give out winter coats
n BY DAN CAMPANA
Officers in the 5th District, along with ad- ditional Area 2 personnel, made it a warmer winter for hundreds of local schoolchildren through a partnership with a national orga- nization that provides coats to kids in need.
According to CAPS Sgt. Regina Hightower, the district joined up with Operation Winter to raise money and purchase the coats in an effort that received a resounding response and even better results.
“We challenged the 5th District personnel, in addition to the detective division person- nel and the court division personnel, and even some private citizens, to donate $20,” Hightower explained in a Facebook Live vid- eo. “What the owner of this whole operation informed us is that for every coat that we get for $20, he’s going to give us three more coats.
“My officers did a phenomenal job. We raised over $3,000,” Hightower said.
That meant hundreds of coats were at the ready on Nov. 18 when children—identified by principals at the district’s 20 schools— were invited to stop by the station and pick out their brand-new winter apparel. The 220 coats that were handed out led to big smiles and plenty of thumbs-ups from the kids and their parents alike.
Hightower recently said the success of the program could mean as many 400 coats will be distributed within the community when the program concludes. All of it—from the high level of participation to the impact the coats will have on the lives of the chil- dren—has Hightower proud and thankful. “This was like an Area 2 thing,” she said of how many people came together to help. Hightower added that this is believed to be Operation Winter’s first project with the Chicago Police Department, and she’s more than pleased the 5th District was where it happened.
“We’re just very grateful,” she said. d 52 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ DECEMBER 2016