Riverdale Park Mayor Asks Residents to Donate Coats, Time to Town Causes

During his mayor's report Monday night at the Riverdale Park work session, Vernon Archer asked that residents help with a few town causes in the upcoming months.

Those causes include Riverdale Park Day, the town's 10th annual Thanksgiving dinner and coat drive and the Holiday Market.

"We've been able to partner with the Christian Life Center over the past couple years, and one of the programs is a distribution of coats," Archer said. But last year, half of the people seeking coats were turned away.

"I challenge Riverdale Park to come together with the town and the rest of community to make sure that doesn’t happen again," he said. The town will collect slightly used coats and donations to buy coats.

The Rev. Ben Sly, of the Christian Life Center, said 1,000 people were fed last year at the Thanksgiving dinner. This year it'll be the 10th year they have been feeding the needy on Thanksgiving day.

"The men are in need of the coats more than the women. We got more women coats last year," Sly said.

He said he's like to see 400 men coats, 250 women coats, 100 children coats donated or bought with monetary donations this year.

The average price of a coat is about $20, Sly added, saying the Christian Life Center searches out for the sales and will buy good-quality coats where available.

Archer also called out for residents to sign-up to volunteer at various town events from now. Volunteers are needed for Riverdale Park Day on Oct. 1, to serve Thanksgiving food on Thanksgiving Day from noon to 3 p.m. and at the Holiday Market.

He said help is also needed in neighborhood schools like Riverdale Elementary and Wirt Middle from classroom help to Spanish translation at school events.

Residents can drop off coats and donations for the coat drive on weekdays at Riverdale Park's Town Hall at 5008 Queensbury Road or Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon at the Christian Life Center at 5600 Taylor Road.

They can also mail checks to either. Checks should be made payable to Passion and Compassion Ministries.

Thanksgiving turkeys and hams are also needed and can be donated as well to either location starting in November.

Volunteers can sign up to help by calling town hall or contacting the folks in charge of each event.

• Councilman Raymond Rivas for Riverdale Park Day
• Rev. Ben Sly for the Thanksgiving Dinner
• Jim Coleman for the Holiday Market