Keeping the state warm: UK students hold clothing drive to benefit Kentucky

Public+Health+Graduate+students+Jessica+Jones%2C+Greggory+Dang%2C+John+Kim%2C+and+Joe+Bell+sort+through+the+clothes+that+were+donated+to+the+Wildcat+Warmth+project+at+the+Reynolds+building+on+Thursday%2C+November+12th+2009.+Photo+by+Jon+Reynolds

Public Health Graduate students Jessica Jones, Greggory Dang, John Kim, and Joe Bell sort through the clothes that were donated to the Wildcat Warmth project at the Reynolds building on Thursday, November 12th 2009. Photo by Jon Reynolds

By Rick Burchfield

Winter is quickly approaching, but parts of southeastern Kentucky will be staying warm thanks to UK students.

Wildcat Warmth, a student-organized charity project that has been going on for the past two weeks, aims at gathering used winter wear clothing such as coats, sweaters, jeans, hats, gloves and shoes. Those items will be transported to rural areas of the southeastern part of the state, to be distributed to needy families.

John Kim, a graduate student in the UK College of Public Health, formulated the idea for Wildcat Warmth last year when he learned that UK did not have a clothing distribution organization. Kim took inspiration from his mother, who used to collect articles of clothing and take them to Appalachian regions on her own.

“The main goal of Wildcat Warmth is to let the community out there know that the students at UK care,” Kim said. “We’re privileged and fortunate to be here and we’re not just doing research and doing studies, we’re out to make a difference, too.

“I feel through doing charity and community work, to me that’s the best way to show that we actually do care about these people.”

In a campus-wide e-mail sent Oct. 30, UK President Lee Todd encouraged students to participate in the clothing drive.

“The Appalachian region is vital to Kentucky, a region rich in natural and scenic beauty, but also an area that ranks among the poorest in the nation economically,” Todd said. “UK is proud to sponsor this effort to help families in the region prepare for the upcoming winter season.”

Support for Wildcat Warmth has spread out to different affiliations and institutions around Lexington, as well. Along with the College of Public Health, the UK Athletic Association and the Lexington Athletic Center placed collection bins at their establishments. Even a local Catholic elementary school heard about the program and made contributions to the drive Thursday on UK’s campus.

UK students and Richard Crosby, chair of the Department of Health Behavior in the College of Public Health, transport the donations. Then, the items are distributed by Kentucky Home Place in Hyden, Ky., where community leaders from surrounding counties will bring lists of items they need and give out the clothing to families in their respected areas.

Nursing senior Chasity Gibson is originally from Knott County, Ky., which is close to Hazard, Ky., one of the places the donations from Wildcat Warmth will be distributed. Gibson said she looked around her house to find items to donate to the charity.

“I also asked one of the faculty members at the College of Nursing to mention the program in our weekly newsletter,” Gibson said. “It really wasn’t much, but I thought if I could help, I would try.”

Kim hopes to see the Wildcat Warmth program stay at UK after he graduates in May.

“In the future it won’t be just for Appalachia, because there are other regions in Kentucky (that) need this too,” Kim said. “ … There are a lot of passionate people who are working with Wildcat Warmth who would love to see it continue, and I think it will.”