By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
It all began about 29 years ago when Raton’s own Mary Lynn Roper with a newborn son in her arms got an idea about KOAT’s call letters and coats that continues today with the help of the New Mexico National Guard and so many others.
Mary Lynn says “I remember because my son Tim had just been born. As a new mother, I was so elated and it occurred to me that with the KOAT call letters, it would be perfect to collect coats for kids.” She went on to add “the project started off modestly. Mostly gently used coats were donated, a cleaners donated their time and expense to clean the coats and the National Guard helped KOAT distribute the coats throughout the state.”
“Since then, because of our (KOAT) viewers, the project has grown! Now, 10,000 coats are donated each year! And, the National Guard is still helping us pick up the coats and get them distributed throughout New Mexico. It has given me such joy to see how this modest idea caught on. KOAT’s for Kids has become an event many New Mexicans rely on.” Roper added in her email to KRTN.
Sky 7 flew into Raton on Monday to help kick off the KOATs for Kids program in Raton. All the students at Longfellow Elementary endured the cold and snow to welcome them to Raton. Once the Sky 7 was on the ground all the kids took a photo with pilot Neal Lawson before returning inside. Some of the first grade students helped carry in bags of coats that New Mexico National Guard Colonel Thomas Gonzales helped KOAT bring up for the event.
This year over 100 coats of various sizes will be distributed in Raton to kids in need from Longfellow Elementary. Principal Kim Sanchez at Longfellow talked about how the kids just beam when they receive a new coat. Sanchez went to say that she hoped the students can learn the giving spirit from the program especially for this time of year as she talked to KOAT’s Cody Dynarski.
Colonel Thomas Gonzales noted that this has been one of the National Guard’s best and most successful Community Outreach programs. Gonzales went on to say that the event in Raton was very special for him being able to come back and help the community that he grew up in.
