Donated items included coats, ski pants, hats, gloves, scarves, boots and blankets

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(Pictured above) Volunteers from NVRH, Passumpsic Savings Bank, Community National Bank, and the community at large helped distribute coats and other winter wear at the Paul Sweeney Memorial Coat Drive at the Good Shepherd Catholic School on Friday, November 15, 2024. L-R: Paul Sweeney’s daughter Amanda Sweeney and her son Maxwell Paul Salvas, Diana Gibbs (NVRH), Chelsea Waldner, John Bowler (in the back), Cynthia Waldner (NVRH), Stacy Allen (Passumpsic Bank), Becky Emerson (Passumpsic Bank), Robert Ruffner (Passumpsic Bank), Michelle Fenoff (Passumpsic Bank), Phyllis Sweeney, Renee Jenks (Community National Bank), Tacona Chaffee (Community National Bank). Missing from the photo are Rachel Haldeman (NVRH) and Meagan Johnson (Passumpsic Bank).

St. Johnsbury, VT: This year the annual Paul Sweeney Memorial Coat Drive, which was held at the Good Shepherd Catholic School on Saturday, November 16, was so successful that volunteers were unable to count just how many coats found new homes. Community members generously donated hundreds of items to this event and volunteers guesstimated that this was the largest collection and distribution to date, far exceeding last year’s.

A widely-attended community event for over 20 years!

Paul Sweeney had a 27-year career with Central Vermont Public Service Corporation (CVPS). As Senior Energy Use Advisor, his duties included home visits where he would suggest ways to make homes more energy efficient. In November 2003, Rev. Jay Sprout and Paul Sweeney organized the first coat drive in memory of Sandy Broughton, a woman who organized previous coat drives and passed away that year from cancer. Coats were collected and distributed (with the help of the Salvation Army) to people in need in the Northeast Kingdom. Two months later, Paul Sweeney passed away at the age of 50. The following year the coat drive was renamed in his honor.

After Paul’s death Passumpsic Bank, Community National Bank and Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) partnered to continue Paul’s legacy and coordinate the Coat Drive ever since. This event wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated volunteers that show up year after year.

Daughter Amanda Sweeney and her mother, Phyllis continue to support the coat drive in Paul’s memory.
For community members who could not make it to the coat drive, Northeast Kingdom Community Action (NEKCA) will have the remaining items available for any individuals looking to add some warm clothing to their winter collection. Visit them at nekcavt.org