Special to the Herald

A Savannah woman’s dedication to helping children in need has inspired a Florida family to do the same.

Georgia Welcome of Savannah donated 250 handmade hats to the Canady’s Coats for Kids campaign Dec. 19. Canady's Coats for Kids has again partnered with the United Way of the Coastal Empire to collect donations of new, unused coats for children ages infant to 17 years old. 

The United Way of the Coastal Empire will distribute the campaign’s coats and hats to children in need in Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty counties. This is the fifth year of the campaign which partners with the United Way of the Coastal Empire and this is the fourth year that Welcome has donated hats that she made over a period of several months. 

In 2021, after seeing the news about the first year of the Canady’s Coats for Kids campaign, Welcome wanted a way to help children in need. Courtney Carpenter of Canady's Heating, Air, Plumbing said, “Mrs. Welcome contacted Canady’s regarding a possible donation of 100 hats in 2021, and of course we said ‘yes.’ As of December, 2024, Mrs.

Welcome has made and donated more than 770 hats and winter headbands to the Canady’s Coats for Kids campaign.”

Welcome said, “One day I saw something in the news about the Canady’s Coats for Kids effort and I reached out to them about donating some hats to their cause. I just wanted to do something to help others.” Making the hats is a labor of love for Welcome, who noted that she spends two to three hours making each hat. “I could probably sell the hats for $20 apiece, but I would rather help out children in need,” she said. 

Mrs. Welcome’s commitment inspired a mother and daughter in Florida, Jeannine and Lilli Doyle. The mother-daughter duo made a total of 100 hats for the Canady’s Coats Campaign and delivered the hats during their holiday visit to Savannah. 

The Canady's Coats for Kids Campaign runs through Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. Canady's will deliver the coats for distribution to the United Way of the Coastal Empire on Jan. 7, 2025. The United Way of the Coastal Empire will distribute the coats to member agencies serving children in need. For more information, click on the company website at www.canadys.com.

Donations of new coats may be dropped off at United Way of the Coastal Empire offices in Bryan County (9611 Ford Ave., Richmond Hill; or Family Connection, 40 S. Industrial Blvd., Pembroke), United Way of Chatham County, 428 Bull St., Savannah; United Way Effingham County, 711 Zitterour Dr. Rincon; United Way of Liberty County, 750 Tupelo Trail, Hinesville; Belk at the Oglethorpe Mall, Savannah; and Canady’s Heating and Air locations in Richmond Hill and Wilmington Island.