Feb. 16 coat drive to aid victims of Mt. Morris school fire

Although it has been many years since her daughters were in grade school, NIU employee Penny McIntire was heart broken when she heard about the plight of the 350 Mt. Morris students at Rahn Elementary School, which burnt down Thursday.

No one was injured in the fire, but students had to flee so quickly that many things were left behind.

“Those children lost all of their personal belongings -- coats, backpacks, school supplies, you name it. Many of the families in that area are not well off, so replacing those things could be quite a hardship,” says McIntire, who works as an undergraduate advisor and assistant to the chair in the Department of Computer Science.

McIntire, who lives in Oregon, just east of Mt. Morris, has organized a coat drive, which will be held 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 16, in the cul-de-sac at the north end of Carroll Avenue, situated between Founders Memorial Library on the east and the Visitors’ parking lot on the west. All items donated will be taken to the Mt. Morris Savings and Loan, which is coordinating a larger drive.

McIntire said the coat drive organizers are seeking items suitable for students between the ages of roughly 4 and 11 years old. Among the items needed are winter coats, hats, gloves, snow pants, boots, gym shoes, backpacks and lunch boxes. Students will also need school supplies such as pencils, crayons, markers, erasers, etc. Donations of school supplies for teachers will also be accepted, she said.

Those wishing to donate cash can do so by sending checks to the Rahn Elementary Rebound Fund, Mt. Morris Savings and Loan, P.O. Box 2009, Mt. Morris, IL 61054.

“This is such an awful thing for the community,” McIntire says. “I just thought this would be a great way for the university to lend a helping hand to a nearby small town in a time of need.”