Matt Hamilton/Daily Citizen-NewsJackson Wright sorts through coats at First United Methodist Church. Wright is collecting coats for elementary school students in the Dalton and Whitfield County systems as part of an Eagle Scout project.

DALTON, Ga. — When Jackson Wright was looking for an Eagle Scout project, he said he “wanted to do something different.”

“Everybody does work-based things like clearing land and building things,” he said.

So Wright, a Life Scout and Boy Scout with First United Methodist Church Troop 60, decided to collect coats for elementary school students in need in the Dalton and Whitfield County systems. His project is called Warm Coats from Warm Hearts.

The coats will be given to students in the school systems who are identified by school social workers.

Coat drive video

Wright got the idea from Carol Yim, a family friend, who started the Warm Hearts Coat Drive of Whitfield County in 2012, which also collected coats for children in the local schools.

“She couldn’t collect coats this year so I volunteered to take over and it’s been a great project,” Wright said.

Wright is a junior at Dalton High School. He started planning the drive in August, collecting coats at Dalton High football games in September.

“I wasn’t getting a ton of coats so I decided to collect at local churches,” he said. There are donation boxes at ChristChurch Presbyterian, First Baptist Church of Dalton, First United Methodist Church and Rock Bridge Community Church.

Wright said he has close to 500 coats, but needs more.

Yim said she’s happy Wright is doing the coat drive for his Eagle Scout project.

“I feel like it’s really a blessing that he’s taking over,” she said. “When I do the coat drive I really put a lot of time and effort in.”

“This year was very hard for me to do it, but I know Jackson will do a great job,” she said. “We (her family) like to give back, and to see the project continue is really good. I’m proud of Jackson and happy kids will get coats.”

John Barnes, assistant leader of Troop 60, said it’s a great project for the community.

“The coat drive makes sure kids stay warm through the winter,” he said.

Barnes said he’s proud of Wright for doing something different.

“Most of the time these projects are either building, making improvements or clearing trails,” he said. “Jackson came up with this one and it’s unique and different from past Eagle Scout history.”

Barnes said the project is helping Wright demonstrate the leadership skills he has learned.

“The scouts choose their own project and how they want to do it,” Barnes said. “We just ask that it benefits the community, church or school.”

Barnes said scouts are responsible for the project from beginning to end.

“They drive the progress as far as raising money and making contacts,” he said. “They have to be the ones to initiate other scouts to help them.”

Wright said the coat drive will continue until the end of this month.

“My goal is to get the coats to students so they can stay warm during the holidays,” he said.

To donate new or gently used coats for the elementary-age students, drop them at one of the churches before the end of the month. Wright said that will give him enough time to distribute the coats to the schools before Christmas break.