Q&A - Organizer of Portales coat drive wants to keep Portales children warm

Portales Deputy City Clerk Veda Urioste wants to make sure Portales children stay warm this winter.

Urioste is an organizer of the city's coat drive for children. The city is accepting gently used and new coats until Nov. 21 at several locations in town, including City Hall, News 3 New Mexico, the Portales Recreation Center, the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce and the Memorial Building.

The coats will be distributed to children in need from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day at the Memorial Building.

The PNT askedsix questions:

How long has the city hosted this coat drive and how many coats has the city given away:

We've been doing it off and on for about 10 to 12 years. We've given away at least 400 to 500 coats and anything left over is usually donated to the children of Juarez, Mexico.

Why do you put in the extra hours and dedication in these projects?

I do it for the community and the kids in our community. I know that these are hard times for people. If we can do anything to help each other, then that makes us a better community.

You hear all the time that there's nothing to do in Portales, so we try to create events such as these during the holidays to include the whole community. We try to get people out and interacting with each other.

What's your favorite Thanksgiving dishes?

All of them. Seriously, my favorite thing to eat is probably pecan pie and mama's old-fashioned homemade dressing.

What are you thankful for this year?

I'm thankful to still have my parents. I'm thankful for my family and all of my healthy children and I'm blessed to have my children. They keep me on my toes. I'm also thankful to have a job.

What's the best part about giving coats away?

Just knowing that we can help those who wouldn't have a jacket to stay warm. I tell my kids it always feels so much better to give then to receive.

What is your favorite thing to do to fight the colder weather?

Staying indoors and having hot chocolate with the kids, probably pop some popcorn and watch a movie with them.