Coat collection to help several agencies keep folks warm

Trailblazer is collecting clean, reusable coats and jackets at several locations to assist the One Warm Coat community’s service effort.
Coats of all shapes and sizes are welcome and can be dropped at Trailblazer locations in New Haven, Branford and at the Mohegan Sun casino, the company said in a statement. The company is involved because it is dedicated to distributing reusable coats, free of charge, directly to local children and adults, the statement said.
As a thanks, Trailblazer will offer 10 percent off of any purchase, at any dollar amount, when the shopping is completed at the time of donation.
Clean, reusable coats and jackets can be brought to any Trailblazer location between Nov. 15 and Dec. 28. Coat donations from the New Haven store will go to the Columbus House shelter, from Branford will go to Harbor Health Services Clothing Drive, and from Mohegan Sun will go to Norwich, Human Services, the statement said.
Trailblazer is working with One Warm Coat, a national non-profit organization that supports and encourages coat drives. It helps individuals, groups, companies and organizations across the country collect coats and deliver them to local agencies that distribute the coats to people in need, the statement said. More than one million coats have been provided to those in need at no cost since its inception in 1992.
Trailblazer is a local, independent retailer founded in 1995 by David Venables with two other stores located in New Haven, Branford, and the Mohegan Sun Casino. Trailblazer is member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance and is active in many local community and environmental organizations, the statement said.