ALLENTOWN, PA. – After a week of encouraging the Lehigh Valley to donate, Friday was the big collection day for the WFMZ-TV\/Lehigh Valley Phantoms coat drive.<\/p>\n
The community answered that call with donations pouring in across the region, with collection sites at the PPL Center, Shankweiler’s drive-in, and the Steel Ice Center.<\/p>\n
Tonight we have the preliminary count, and 1,364 coats have been donated this year. This surpasses last year\u2019s total by only one, but this total does not yet include the coats at Steel Ice and Shankweiler\u2019s that still need to be picked up.<\/p>\n
This has all been made possible by the community stepping up to help one another.<\/p>\n
“It’s the time of year to give, and it got cold really fast, and I have a lot of coats that I don’t use, and I feel like they would be better in someone else’s hands,\u201d said Michele Kurdes of Coplay.<\/p>\n
Some younger members of the community wanted to be part of the effort too.<\/p>\n
“I just saw it on TV, and my grandpa said we’re coming here to donate a jacket,\u201d said Lyric King.<\/p>\n
An effort now in its 12th year brought together volunteers, community partners, and people looking to help their neighbors.<\/p>\n
“We donated last year, so we thought we’d come back and do it again,\u201d said Bill Nine of Allentown. “That’s what it’s all about, especially this time of year, is to help everyone that can’t help themselves.”<\/p>\n
Organizers say it\u2019s that generosity that makes the annual drive so special.<\/p>\n
“High energy, overwhelming. Like the fact that so many people help and want to contribute. It’s just, it’s enthusiasm,\u201d said WFMZ News Director Eric Nazarenus.<\/p>\n
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have been part of the effort since the beginning.<\/p>\n
“Seeing the fans coming in happy, donating, it’s truly special. Especially something to be thankful for before Thanksgiving,\u201d said Greg Carey, corporate partnerships manager with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and PPL Center. \u201cTo see people giving at this time of year is always great.”<\/p>\n
The Salvation Army says the coats will now be sorted and distributed to families.<\/p>\n
“We have tons of families that have already signed up for distributing the coats,\u201d said Capt. Maria Corraliza with the Salvation Army. \u201cSo each coat has already a person that is going to go to this Christmas season.”<\/p>\n
All of the jackets are now at the Salvation Army Headquarters on North 7th St. They’ll be given out for free on Wednesday, December 2nd.<\/p>\n
\nCopyright 2026 Maranatha Broadcasting Co., Inc.. All Rights Reserved.\n<\/p>\n
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