TIFTON — Although the weather outside isn’t quite frightful, it is getting chilly enough that having a coat is delightful. The 5th Annual Keep’em Warm Coat Drive is gearing up to answer that need.

The coat drive is collecting coats from Nov. 12 through Dec. 21.

County Commissioner Melissa Hughes, who spearheads the drive every year, said that this year they are asking only for children’s’ coats for ages birth through high school.

“For the last eight years that I have been doing the Keep ‘Em Warm Coat Drive, I have always received more adult coats than children’s,” Hughes said. “I believe when people hear coat drive and giving, they want to give, so they go into their closets and pull out coats that they, as adults, cannot wear anymore. In some cases, I have received coats that belonged to a loved one that has passed and the person wants to give the coats to someone who may need it. I will never turn down any coats, but I want to focus on the children at this time of year.”

Donations should be new or gently used. Kelly Cleaners, which is one of the drop-off locations and a long-time supporter of the drive, will be cleaning any donations.

Drop-off sites are at Kelly Cleaners, located on Chesnut Avenue; the county commissioner’s office in the Charles Kent Administration Building, located on Tift Avenue; and the Tiftarea YMCA on Carpenter Road.

Volunteers and Tifton’s Department of Family and Child Services will distribute coats.

For information about donations or pick-ups, contact Hughes at (229) 326-0241.

Follow Eve Copeland on Twitter @EveCopelandTTG.