The warmth from the inaugural “Warm The Children” campaign didn’t always come from the new winter clothes some 70 Gowanda-area children got to enjoy this past holiday season.

     Sometimes, the warmth came from the children themselves. After not quite spending the full $80 allotted for purchases, one of the children being helped by the program turned to his volunteer shopper on the way out of the store and asked what happened to the money he did not spend.

     The shopper explained that it would go toward helping purchase new clothing for another local youngster. A few seconds later, he reached into his pocket and offered the volunteer his change with the instruction that his pennies and nickels be donated to the fund.

     “It’s a great program,” said Barb Wilkins, who coordinated the Gowanda effort through the auspices of the local branch of Love InC.

     It was the first year of the program run through the Gowanda PennySaver/News. More than $6,600 was donated to the cause by local individuals, businesses, churches and civic groups. Children are referred into the program by local schools, churches and social agencies, and each child accepted into the program is allowed to purchase up to $80 in new clothing.

     All donated money goes toward clothes purchases, and all money is spent on Gowanda-area children.

     H&K Publications, owners of the Gowanda PennySaver/News, runs similar programs in Hamburg and Springville.

     This year, more than 700 children locally received new, warm winter clothing.

     Families who did not get accepted into the program this year must resubmit a new referral form next fall, but will be given top priority for acceptance at that time.

     Gratitude goes out to the following volunteer shoppers: Elizabeth Ackley, Diane Bobseine, Linda Chapel, Mary Crouse, Michelle Fisher, Pat Gassman, Tina and Donald Glow, Cora Gugino, Sue Jolls, Michelle Kruger, Sandy Maloney, Delores and Nelson Militello, Diana Palcic, Beth Payne, Tammy Utley and Ruth and Paul Willis.