With many neighbors being unemployed or underemployed and winter on the horizon, there’s even more need to share the warmth and help others fend off the cold. The Mast General Store is hosting its sixth annual Share the Warmth coat, sweater and blanket collection campaign from now until Nov. 30.

The Mast General Store, along with Columbia Sportswear, invites customers to share the warmth in their community by “sharing” clean, gently-worn coats, jackets, sweaters, gloves, hats, and even blankets so others can be warm this winter. Items can be dropped off at Mast General Store in downtown Waynesville, and they will be given to Haywood Christian Ministry and to The Salvation Army.

“It was important to us for our community partner to work closely with those truly in need,” said Fred Martin, vice president of operations at the Mast Store.

This is the sixth year the Mast Store has undertaken this project to help provide coats for those in need in their home communities, and it’s the fourth time that Columbia has stepped up to help out with their own donation of new coats.

For more information call the Mast Store at 828.452.2101.