Project Coordinator John Bodensteiner is pictured with Principal Angela Issacs at St. John's School.

As they did last year, the Knights donated 96 new coats to area schools to be  distributed as needed to their students.  The public elementary schools receiving the coats include Fountain Lake, Jessieville, and Mountain Pine; the Catholic schools are Our Lady of Fatima in Benton and St. John’s in Hot Springs.  John was liaison for the Catholic schools, while Ed Keearns served in that role for the public schools.

For the 2011/12 winter season to date, 698 Knights of Columbus councils purchased and distributed 26,028 coats. In addition the Supreme Council also purchased 5,500 coats that were sent to several state councils for distribution, for a total of 31,528 coats given out.

Since 2009, the Knights of Columbus has distributed more than 70,000 coats to kids throughout the United States and Canada.

This project is funded primarily by  the Wisconsin Cheese sales, which is coordinated again this year by Ed Miller, and by $500 obtained from a Walmart grant written and submitted by Milt Spaniel.