Norwich — After receiving a request to help provide winter gloves to students at Norwich Free Academy and patrons of the St. Vincent de Paul Place soup kitchen, the Norwich Lions Club and Senior Resources Agency are coordinating an effort to distribute donated winter items to those in need.

The Norwich Lions Club is donating 20 pairs of gloves to students at NFA and 20 pairs of gloves to St. Vincent and is challenging other local groups to match the donation.

“I was notified late Thursday night that about 20 NFA students and a number of folks at the soup kitchen were in urgent need of gloves, and, by 10 o’clock Friday morning, we had 40 pairs on their way,” said Norwich Lions Club President Kevin Harkins. “Now we’re challenging other local groups to match our donation so that there is a cache of gloves available for future need.”

Lori Rygielski at the Senior Resources Agency said she is grateful for the quick response after being notified by a social worker at NFA and a representative of St. Vincent de Paul Place that the gloves were needed.

Rygielski would welcome extra gloves and said there is plenty of room at the agency to store them. Anyone wishing to donate new or used gloves can call (860) 887-3561 and arrange for pick-up.