The Plainview Water District, which volunteered as an official drop-off location for the National Cleaners Association's (NCA) Coats for Kids, extends its thanks to the community for their generosity. According to Edward Shulroff, chairman of the board of commissioners for the Plainview Water District, a record number of coats were collected. Although there are many coat-distributing charities, the NCA's Coats for KIDS campaign is unique in that all the coats are professionally cleaned prior to distribution. Since the program's inception in 1986, nearly 500,000 coats have been distributed to places like schools, churches, synagogues, children's agencies, and numerous other programs in need.

"On behalf of the board of commissioners, I extend my thanks to all of you who opened their closets and hearts during the drive. Your donation of the coats is another example of why the Plainview-Old Bethpage area is known to be such a caring community," stated Shulroff.

Thanks to the community's efforts, the Plainview Water District was able to collect numerous toys, to be donated to "John Theissen Children's Foundation," (formerly known as Toys for Sick Children) a nonprofit organization that provides toys to sick and less fortunate children in local hospital pediatric wards and shelters. According to Plainview Water District Commissioner Edward Shulroff, response from the community and water district employees was terrific.

"I would like to thank the residents of Plainview, as well as the water district's employees, for showing that holiday spirit is alive and well in our community," stated Shulroff. "The John Theissen Children's Foundation is an excellent organization and each year they do a phenomenal job bringing joy to less fortunate children situations. I am excited that our community was able to assist in brightening the lives of many youngsters."

Since its inception in 1992, John Theissen Children's Foundation has collected over 300,000 new toys during its annual toy drive, donating these toys to sick and needy children in over 90 hospitals and child-care facilities. The goals of the organization are to provide hospitals and child-care facilities with recreational and therapeutic equipment. In addition, the organization provides larger items such as televisions, VCRs, video games, art and craft supplies, high chairs and strollers, to hospitals and child-care facilities in the New York area.