By MOLLIE BROWN / Community Columnist

Residents in Calera and surrounding communities will stay warm this winter thanks to Calera Acts of Kindness (AOK). The neighbors helping neighbors semiyearly clothing giveaway continues with its fall giveaway Oct. 5, beginning at 8 a.m.

The Calera Community Center, located on U.S. 31 South next to Calera Intermediate School, will house adult and junior sizes and the historical Calera Presbyterian Church, one block behind the community center, will house children’s.

The clothing drive began in 2006 as a yearly fall event to provide warm clothing for those in need, a spring drive was added in 2010. There are no qualifications to receive the free clothing. No personal information is obtained and recipients shop for their items. Recipients receive a shopping bag and are asked to “take as much as you need, but not more than you need.”

Beginning Sept. 21, clean, gently-worn infants, children, teens, men’s and women’s fall garments and shoes may be dropped off at Calera Presbyterian Church. AOK organizer Rebecca Krueger said volunteers are needed to sort the donated items by age and gender, which allows recipients to shop as if they were in a real store.

“Hundreds of volunteers have served thousands of residents in need since AOK’s inception,” Krueger said. “We are simply neighbors helping neighbors. Anyone can help, whether through the giving of time, preparing, spreading the word or sharing clothing- there is no gift too small.”

To volunteer or obtain more information about AOK, contact Krueger at 281-1975 or email caleraaok@gmail.com.

Spread the word and clean out those closets!