Coats to be given away ahead of cold temps

By Staff
Jonathan Willis
With the coldest weather of the season expected later this week, officials with the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce want to do what they can to help.
Executive Director Cheryl Bradford said the chamber has hundreds of coats and blankets remaining from a holiday coat drive.
"We want to encourage anyone that needs a coat or blanket to come by the chamber office and we will give them what they need," Bradford said.
The coldest temperatures are going to be Thursday night and Friday morning when temperatures drop into the single digits, officials said.
Meteorologists estimate that temperatures could fall below freezing for a 60-hour period of time from late tonight until mid-day or later on Saturday.
"The weather is going to be so cold, we just want to make sure that anyone who needs a coat gets one," Bradford said.
The office has coats of all sizes, but there are currently more for adults. The chamber distributed about 300 coats to area schools prior to the Christmas holiday.
"We are still taking donations and we will be distributing them through March 1," Bradford said. "But we really want to encourage families to come by and pick them up this week when temperatures are so cold."