Photo Caption: Diné College recently held a Holiday Coat Drive in which dozens of coats and articles of clothing were collected by the American Indigenous Business Leaders Club. Pictured are Diné College business instructor Patrick Blackwater (l), Diné College Program Coordinator Terra Lamotte Harvey (2nd from left), business student Xandria Begay (3rd from left), Navajo Nation First Lady Perfelia Nez (3rd from right) and Navajo Nation Second Lady Dottie Lizer (2nd from right). The other two individuals are unidentified.
Diné College Student Business Club Collects Donated Coats
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 19, 2019
TSAILE, Ariz. — If you’ve taken an old winter coat or jacket out of your closet to donate it to the Diné College chapter of the American Indigenous Business Leaders Club, the simple act of kindness is probably touching hearts in a big way.
AIBL recently collected dozens of coats, scarves and other articles of clothing over the past few weeks in the first annual coat drive. The drive is especially for people in the greater Tsaile area who needed coats and clothing during the Christmas season.
The clothing is primarily for children and mothers, but with the growing demographics of male victims, there are some coats for males available, Patrick Blackwater, a Diné College faculty advisor with the group, said.
So far, Blackwater said the club has collected 28 kids’ coats, several articles of kids clothing, 17 women’s coats, 28 unisex coats, 3 scarves and hoodies and one pair of men’s boots.
“It’s been very successful,” Blackwater said. “We’ve been able to gather a lot of coats and clothing.”
The coats and clothing are going to be delivered to the Ama Doo Alchini Bighan, Inc., in Chinle, Ariz., Blackwater said. ADABI is a Navajo Nation and Central Agency-based nonprofit crisis and safe home family program.
The coat drive is a community service project that AIBL initiated to promote social responsibility, partnerships, giving and awareness. Donating coats and clothing is a low- cost, charitable way to give to needy families during the Christmas season,” Blackwater commented.
The coat drive was a hit with students. “The AIBL’s objective this semester was to give back to the surrounding community,” Xandria Begay, a Diné College senior Business student and AIBL club president, said. “At the beginning of November, the AIBL club members decided to have a coat drive. We had the opportunity to partner with ADABI where the coats would be sent to. We set up five boxes around campus so everyone could donate their coats. As of Dec. 17, we had 82 coats and clothing items along with some children’s clothes. We met with ADABI employees on campus and gave them the coats. Thank you so much to all the people that donated,” Begay said.
CONTACT US
Marie R. Etsitty Nez
Vice President of External Affairs
marienez@dinecollege.edu
928-724-6985
George Joe, M.A., M.Ed, Director Of Marketing and Communications
grjoe@dinecollege.edu
928-724-6695
Bernie Dotson, Public Relations Officer
bdotson@dinecollege.edu
928-724-6697
Scott Tom, Graphic Design and Digital Media Specialist
shtom@dinecollege.edu
928-724-6698
Jazzmine D. Martinez, Marketing Assistant
jdmartinez@dinecollege.edu
928-724-6694
