RALEIGH, N.C. — WRAL-TV's Coats for the Children campaign officially concluded Saturday as over 90 volunteers from the community gathered to sort and bag a record-breaking number of donated coats.

Volunteers worked for three hours at the Baker Roofing Warehouse in Raleigh preparing over 10,000 coats for distribution to Salvation Army families across our area.

This concludes one of WRAL's most successful Coats for the Children campaigns to date. During the Coats for the Children telethon, which aired in early December, over $83,000 was collected. This total surpasses last year's cash donation total by $25,000. All cash contributions are used to provide vouchers to needy families for the purchase of underwear, T-shirts and other winter clothing items.

"I am continually amazed by the generosity of this community, and those around us. To be blessed with more than 10,000 donated coats to distribute to needy children is truly heartwarming. I think the terrible ice storm in December opened many peoples' eyes to what it is like to truly be cold and to go without. Hopefully, supporters of the campaign will not forget that cold feeling, and will help the Salvation Army keep less fortunate children in warm winter clothing for years to come," said Major Al Smith, Corps Officer for the Salvation Army in Raleigh/Wake County regarding the success of the 2002 Coats for the Children campaign.

Although the campaign to collect coats and donations is officially over, the Salvation Army still has the task of distributing the coats. Any families needing coats or other winter clothing should contact their local Salvation Army branch.

WRAL-TV thanks its community partners at Jiffy Lube and Chick-fil-A for their support of this project. Special thanks also to Baker Roofing, Long Transportation and Metro Productions who volunteered their services for coat storage, transportation and project signage.

For more information, call WRAL-TV Community Relations Director

Loretta Harper-Arnold

at (919) 821-8652.