by Mary Rupert
About 400 coats given away Saturday morning went fast at the Mercy and Truth Medical Mission’s “Warm Up Wyandotte” event at 721 N. 31st St., Kansas City, Kansas.
Next to go were the 200 turkeys given away – only 17 were left by 8:20 a.m. and they were gone before 9 a.m.
There were still some flu shots left around 9 a.m., but a lot had already been given out, according to the flu clinic staff. A small line stretched outside the room where shots were given, with about 10 people, including children and adults, waiting a short time for vaccines.
Anne Rauth, director of marketing for the Mercy and Truth Medical Mission, said people were lined up before 7 a.m. Saturday for the event, which started at 8 a.m.
Howard Russell, a Mercy and Truth board member, said more than 200 persons were served by the clinic Saturday, and the new coats were the items most in demand.
The flu vaccine was donated by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment; the turkeys were donated by Blue Cross and Blue Shield; and the 400 new coats were donated by Urban Metals, Russell said.
Urban Metals currently is working on fixing a boiler that has gone out at the Mercy and Truth building, Russell said. He added there is heat in part of the building, served by a heat pump.
According to officials, the purpose of the “Warm Up Wyandotte” event was to keep the community healthy, warm and well fed.
