This weekend, over 300 boys and girls in Beaufort County received a new coat or a new pair of shoes and returned to school Monday in style.

Thanks to a partnership between a local church and three area businesses, the students were able to receive the new apparel. Walmart, Shoe Show and Burke’s Outlet, all of Washington, coordinated with St. John Church of Christ Disciples of Christ for the church to purchase clearance and discounted items for its WOW event — the name of the event in which 100 coats and over 200 pair of shoes were dispersed.

The event, according to St. John Pastor Russell Wilkins and event chair Charnita Ricks, was the largest ministry of its kind the church has conducted. The funds were allocated from the church’s budget for the giveaway to Beaufort County students in grades Kindergarten through 12^th who are less fortunate than their peers.

An important component of the event was the fact the church also coordinated with the Beaufort County Department of Social Services to find those students of families who are in need the most. This partnership allowed the church to weed out those who may have wanted a new pair of shoes or a new coat, rather than those who may have needed a new pair of shoes or a new coat.

With fall and winter quickly approaching and the new school year in full swing, this event killed two birds with one stone for most recipients. Not only did the giveaway meet a need for those who received one of the items, but it also aided in boosting the confidence and self-esteem of its recipients. Ricks said those students who are less fortunate than their peers, may have a lower self-esteem than their peers and feel inferior.

The church giving back to the community, as many organizations in the community have done and continue to do, just goes to show that Beaufort County takes care of its own.