The Blount County Fire Department will have its annual auction on Nov. 6 and all proceeds will benefit the Coats for Our Community program.
“This year, we will auction off a 1996 Mercury Sable station wagon, among other donated items,” Blount County Fire Lt. Johnny Leatherwood said.
Tools, furniture, jewelry, gift certificates, overnight stays at local resorts and campgrounds, and other valuables also will be auctioned off.
Doors will open at the Blount County Fire Department Station 7 at 8 a.m. on Nov. 6 and the auction will begin at 10 a.m. Station 7 is located at 5156 Sevierville Road in Seymour. Lunch will be available.
All proceeds will benefit Coats for Our Community, which is a program dedicated to making sure that no one goes without a coat during the cold winter weather.
Last year, firefighters put coats on more than 2,000 people, including about 800 children in our local schools,” Leatherwood said.
Firefighters give every person in need of a coat a heavy-weight and light-weight coat, resulting in a total of more than 4,000 coats distributed last year.
“We expect to distribute even more coats this winter, as the number of those in need of a coat continues to grow in our community,” Blount County Fire Chief Doug McClanahan said.
The Coats for Our Community program is also conjoined with the Fire Safety program, which ensures all Blount County residents have a working smoke detector.
McClanahan said that anybody that wants a coat in Blount County can receive one for free from the fire department, with only one question asked, “Do you have a working smoke detector?”
If someone does not have a smoke detector, firefighters will install one in the residence for free.
There has been one documented “save” from this program, so far.
“We don’t have a way of knowing how many fires have been prevented from the Coats for Our Community and Fire Safety programs,” McClanahan said. “And these preventions are all due to the community, which is keeping this program moving forward.
“Every coat that is donated keeps someone warm, and possibly saves a life through the smoke detector check.”
Items can still be donated for the auction by contacting the Blount County Fire Department.
Those who wish to show their support in other ways can volunteer to assist at the auction or for the Coats for Our Community program by calling the fire department at (865) 983-2133.
Donations can be sent to: Blount County Fire Department, P.O. Box 4488, Maryville, TN, 37802-4488.
New or used coats also can be donated and taken to any local fire station.
More drop-off points will be announced at the time of the program’s official kick-off.

… read the rest of the story by Subscribing now.

... read the rest of the story by Subscribing now.