In November and December, 2022, The Rotary Club of North Rockland donated 223 warm winter coats to students in the North Rockland school district. The coats were provided to students who were identified by faculty members as lacking this basic necessity for winter life and learning. Under the leadership of Rotarian Judy Ritacco, Rotary volunteers purchased new coats from area stores, sorted the coats by to assure that each school received coats of the proper size and gender for their students, and delivered the coats to the schools for distribution. The Club thanks Judy for her tireless work and dedication to this cause.The coat donation program is an example of how the Club can act for the benefit of the community. Because members of the Club live and work in the community, they can spot issues and problems which can be missed by government programs and large-scale charities. The coat donation program was started in 2012 when a Rotarian visited a local elementary school on a cold winter day and noticed a little girl coming to school clad only in a thin shirt. When she brought this situation to the attention of the club, the club established the coat donation program immediately. No bureaucracy needed-just a group of people dedicated to service above self.