As temperatures dipped in the 40s and 50s last week, students across Collier County were dusting off their jackets, preparing for the walk or bus ride to school. Acknowledging that some of our students may not have jackets at home, our local Collier County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) began devising a plan to ensure students would arrive to school warm and toasty.

Deputies visited the area just outside Pinecrest Elementary School in Immokalee one morning, handing out hot chocolate to keep students and parents warm as they walked to school. Those without coats received a light jacket to help them brave the chillier temperatures. Altogether, more than 200 cups of hot chocolate were poured that morning!

The effort was a collaboration between the CCSO, Corkscrew Baptist Church, and Benison Center. The Benison Center provided the cups while Corkscrew Baptist Church supplied the hot chocolate and jackets. A big thank you goes out to all those involved for ensuring our students were prepared for the weather and arrived to school ready to learn.