By Taylor Boyd
More than 250 coats and hoodies collected during the annual Coat Drive for Kids were presented to the Henry County Board of Supervisors during its Nov. 25 meeting. The donations came from Appalachian Power (AEP) and the Campbell Family Foundation.
The drive was started 30 years ago by Supervisor Debra Buchanan of the Horsepasture District and has grown over the decades through the generosity of businesses, churches and individuals.
“This is only possible because of the generosity of the businesses here, churches, and individuals that actually made this happen,” Buchanan said. “The children don’t always understand why they’re cold or why they don’t have a coat, they just know they’re cold. That smile on a child’s face when receiving a coat makes all the difference.”
During the shopping trip for the coats at Wal-Mart, Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce Director Brenell Thomas said the donations were supplemented by an additional $200. “These coats will help keep our kids safe and warm. As we know toward the end of the week, these will come very much in handy,” she said.
Sarah Fain of the Campbell Family Foundation said it is a privilege for the foundation to contribute. AEP External Affairs Manager Rob Mann echoed her sentiment.
“We’ve got a longstanding, good relationship and we just want to keep that going and be partners in your community. We’re just glad that we could participate this year,” Mann said.
Garrett Dillard, of the Iriswood District and a Henry County Schools employee, said many students look forward to the annual drive.
“I think it’s great when the community comes together and we do something of this nature to help folk out. We think about people who are less fortunate, but sometimes it’s just an opportunity for a parent who receives a coat to have $30-$40 that they could use for gas, food, or whatever the case may be,” Dillard said.
Buchanan said the drive has grown far beyond the small effort she started decades ago in her living room.
“When I first started it, I didn’t believe it would grow to this extent,” she said.
A Wal-Mart representative also spoke about the drive at the meeting.
In other matters during the Nov. 25 meeting, the board:
*Discussed potentially amending its 2026 legislative agenda to remove support for Patrick & Henry Community College taking over the New College Institute and converting it into the Patrick & Henry Workforce Economic Development Building. Dillard noted NCI’s Board of Directors voted against exploring the idea at its November meeting.
“I kind of feel at some point we need to revisit that and consider whether we want to remove that off of our legislative agenda so that we’re not sending something to Richmond that NCI’s not actually supporting themself,” he said.
*Heard from Barry Barker, representing the county’s pickleball community, about converting the Collinsville Jaycee Park tennis court into a covered pickleball court.
*Approved an additional $5,400 for the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office to cover salary expenses for a part-time position.
*Approved $54,100 from the general fund for updates to the 911 Center call-handling equipment, and awarded a $354,100 contract to Mobile Communications America for purchase and installation.
*Approved loan agreements with the West Piedmont Planning District Commission and $412,587 in combined loan and grant funds for the Villa Heights Housing Project.
*Approved carryover of $68,043,828.31 from fiscal year 2025 to 2026 for items committed but not delivered by June 30.
*Approved rezoning of 0.655 acres in the Blackberry District from Suburban Residential (S-R) to Mixed Residential (M-R), and 6.18 acres in the Reed Creek District from S-R to Rural Residential (R-R).
*Reappointed Vivian Hairston to the Public Service Authority Board of Directors for a four-year term expiring Jan. 5, 2030.
*Reappointed Jim Adams and Pam Cobler to the West Piedmont Planning District Commission Board for four-year terms ending Dec. 31, 2029.
*Approved consent items, received the monthly delinquent tax report, and heard updates on general highway matters from VDOT Assistant Resident Engineer David Kiser.
