In July 2025, St. Mark Vacation Bible School (VBS) volunteers and participants collected money to contribute to Coats for Kids, a national fundraising effort sponsored by Knights of Columbus that purchases winter coats to donate to children in need. Since 2009, they have donated and distributed over 1 million coats in all 50 U.S. states and 10 Canadian provinces.
We partnered with local Santa Maria Council #4654, which supports both St. Mark and Our Lady of Good Counsel (who also had a few students participating in our VBS). Over $800 was raised, which allowed the Santa Maria Council to nearly double their budget and purchase 6 boxes of new coats! There was even a small amount left over to donate in the name of our VBS to a national Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids fund. The Council was thrilled!
Two of the boxes were donated to OLGC’s coat drive, and the rest will be donated to St. Mark’s Thanksgiving Clothing Drive. Mike Churma, Grand Knight of the Santa Maria Council, showed his appreciation for our fundraising efforts by inviting us to come and see the coats purchased. As he put it, he wanted “the VBS participants who raised these funds to see the coats in person so they can tangibly understand the real-world good they did.” Pictured are Sarah Lundquist, John Kuchenbrod, and Pauline Hartnett.
