Unsung Heroes Rick Teegarden, TOPS School, and Ann Borwick

First Place really appreciates the generosity of our Seattle-area friends. We recently received several great donations that took a lot of planning and care by their organizers.

High school senior Rick Teegarden from Bellevue coordinated a drive that brought in over 2500 coats, a good number of which came to First Place. These coats will keep our clothing bank stocked for a good, long while. We really appreciate the time and efforts of caring community members like Rick. It’s especially inspiring to see the support from young people for their peers at First Place.

Rick was in 7th grade when he first began the coat drive. He was active with Bellevue Youth Link and its Teen Closet which at that time, he says, was woefully under-stocked for the winter months. So he took the idea of a coat drive to his middle school and got to work. Now he partners with several city shelters and justice organizations to make sure kids have the ability to stay warm during the chilly winter.

Our long-time friend Ann Borwick also sewed 60 pillow cases for the kids to take with them when they left for mid-winter break. The cases went into treasure boxes made by the TOPS 8th graders, with lots of other fun things inside like arts and crafts supplies.



Each pillow case is made from a different, colorful, kind-of zany pattern. First Place has received some great gifts from Ann in the past, such as aprons for the Griffin Early Learning Program to use when they practice painting and other crafts.

And don’t tell, but word is that Ann’s next project will be pillows and cases for preschool nap time. The kids will be excited when those arrive!