The Burger Family began their relationship with Coats For Kids in the Fall of 2007. Sandi was waiting in the middle school parking lot for Nolan and some of his friends to finish 8th Grade Football practice. Listening to WTAM on the radio, Loretta Arnold from Coats For Kids was discussing the charity and the need for volunteers to assist at their warehouse sorting, sizing and boxing the donated coats for distribution. This sounded like a great volunteer opportunity for Nolan, as he was in need of service hours for his upcoming sacrament of confirmation. Nolan suggested that we include some of his friends to join as well. Sandi contacted Loretta, telling her that she had a group of six 8th grade boys that she would like to bring to the warehouse. Sandi could tell Loretta was skeptical about this, as her thought of 14 year old boys actually working and not horsing around was forefront. Well, these boys surprised her! The group ended up helping at the warehouse a couple of more times that year. Over the years this group was involved in many events including CFK/Salvation Army Distribution Day, speaking on WTAM 1100, and beginning the “Stuff the bus for Coats for Kids” event in North Royalton.
In 2013 Nolan and Klint, organized a golf outing to include extended, out of town family members. This would be known as the BPS Golf Outing. It became a yearly tradition, growing in numbers each year. Klint was organizing it like he would a corporate golf outing, and after the 2018 outing had the awesome idea to make it a charity event. Of course, it would be for Coats for Kids! Our inaugural 2019 event was small, but successful with the promise to make 2020 THE year. Haha! COVID really did make it THE year, but never what we could have imagined! We came back in 2021 and had a great turnout, raised almost $2000 and had a blast with family and friends. We took 2022 off as many family obligations prevented us from landing on a date we could all attend.
So, here we are in 2023 hosting a bigger and better charity event. A new golf course, new and exciting games and hole sponsors, contributors, and volunteers ready to make this THE year we have hoped for.
We hope you will join us in supporting Coats For Kids. Your kind generosity puts warm coats on those children who otherwise would go without. It is not the fault of a child for the circumstances they may be in. We can, at the very least, know that we are helping one child at a time survive the cold Cleveland winters.
We hope to see you on October 7, 2023.