Warmer Winters Halloween party Oct. 17, collecting coats for drive

LEOMINSTER — The Warmer Winters crew is gearing up for a Halloween-themed event this weekend that will double as a coats collection.

“October is an important month for our Warmer Winters new and not-so-new volunteers, supporters, board members, junior board members, and their chauffeurs to recommit to gifting handcrafted warmth to neighbors in need,” said Warmer Winters President David Roth, adding that there are two “important opportunities to lead” coming up.

Tricks ‘n’ Treats is being held at on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at The Gardener’s Spot, 66 Granite St., Leominster. The spooktacular affair being run by the city-based nonprofit’s junior volunteers will include face painting, pumpkin decorating, snacks, and more such as festive drinks from The Sip Stand with names like Boo Raspberry Lemonade and Vampire Kiss.

The party takes place prior to the haunted greenhouse at The Gardener’s Spot running from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. that day and every Saturday night in October. The cost is $12 per person — or pay what you can — and the yearly fundraising tradition benefiting Veteran Family Connections to purchase Christmas trees for veterans to has all scare levels, making it family friendly or creepy depending on what visitors want.

While there is no admission fee for the Warmer Winters Halloween bash on Saturday, a new coat to assist the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office’s annual winter coats drive and distribution efforts would be greatly appreciated. Warmer Winters volunteers and junior board members will accompany Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis and his team on all their stops through Gardner, Fitchburg, and Leominster on Oct. 20 to gift the jackets to community members, veterans, shelters, and recovery centers.

Besides the coats they collect Warmer Winters will also be handing out their signature cold weather gear — hand knit with love hats, gloves, scarves, and sweaters – which they offer to those in the Central Mass community and beyond.

“Our junior volunteers have never had an issue getting an excused absence for this important educational community service experience. In fact, many schools have recognized their students for this,” Roth reported. “Bring a friend or two!”

Warmer Winters is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary season and besides keeping it going Roth has been busy launching another community initiative. His late wife Sandra loved lighthouses, with Nova Scotia’s Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse her favorite because of her family’s French-Canadian heritage.

“I was fortunate to take her to see it on our 40th anniversary cruise two years ago,” Roth shared.

He is committed to honoring Sandra’s legacy and her “life and light by continuing and enhancing our community support initiatives that she supported.” Roth installed Lighthouse Memorial Park in the front yard of their Fitchburg home at 303 Tibbett Circle, which is open to neighborhood walkers, and created the Sandra’s Light Scholarship program for Warmer Winters junior board members.

“Honestly, all of this is keeping me going as I deal with the new reality of spending the rest of my life without her,” he disclosed.

Roth invited people to join him for the unveiling of Sandra’s headstone at Agudas Achim Cemetery in Fitchburg in August, her birth month, followed by a celebration of life barbecue at their home.

“Though the traditional Jewish unveiling is about 12 months after the burial I want to celebrate her birthday yearly, not her death or burial day.”

For more information on volunteer opportunities and more email [email protected] and follow Warmer Winters on Facebook and Instagram.