Group hopes to dress Dayton kids for winter

High school students in Lyon County are doing what they can to help needy families have both meals and warmth this holiday season.

The Central Lyon Youth Connections and two Stand Tall teen leadership and drug and alcohol prevention groups are teaming up for the fifth annual Cans and Coats drive, collecting canned food and good, clean winter coats for struggling families from Mound House to Silver Springs.

"Anyone in the community that needs a coat will get one," said Lavurne Jeffreys, organizer of the drive. "If we have one they will get it, no questions out, just come and try it on."

Coats will be accepted through Dec. 6, and will given out at the Dayton Community Center, 170 Pike St., Dayton, during the food bank distribution, on Dec. 11.

The Cans and Coats drive effort also includes students from the Dayton High School Leadership Class and Stand Tall as well as the Silver Stage High School Stand Tall group collecting the items Monday through Friday at their schools.

Those without children in the schools who still want to donate can take coats and cans to the Dayton Community Center or drop them off from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Greater Nevada Credit Union, 555 Highway 50 East in Dayton.

Jeffreys said the students will take all the food that is donated and make holiday meals for families that fall through the cracks this year.

"The food we will give away as holiday baskets for Thanksgiving, and then we will try to do it again at Christmas," she said. "Hopefully, we will get a lot."

- Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or call 881-7351.