For the seventh year in a row, the state Tourism Department is heading up a collection of winter clothing items for those in need.
The "Big Bundle Up" campaign encourages Wisconsinites to donate gloves, mittens, hats, scarves, coats, and other warm winter gear. Drop off sites have opened, and they'll keep collecting things through January second.
The Minocqua Chamber of Commerce is one drop off site. Chamber Director Krystal Westfahl says they work with local groups...
"....we collect charitable items, traditionally coats and hats and warm winter gear to be given back. This year, for instance we are working with the Lakeland Sharing Foundation and St. Matthias. We collect from the middle of November until January. We collect a lot of items in that time...."
Westfahl says they also take gently used toys or new items. She says the Sharing Foundation donates the items back to the community.
Westfahl says more than 103-thousand winter items have been donated in the first six years of the program..
"...so last year we had about 70 industry partners that worked together and they collected over 30,000 items. We collected over 200 items to give back to our local charities. Everybody across the state is doing that, giving to local charities they choose to partner with...."
In the Northwoods along with the Minocqua Chamber, there are dropoff points at the Boulder Junction, Land O' Lakes, Park Falls, Phelps, Mercer and Rhinelander Chambers of Commerce. You can learn more about it attravelwisconsin.com.
