This article was scraped from Rochester Subway. This is a blog about Rochester history and urbanism has not been published since 2017. The current owners are now publishing link spam which made me want to preserve this history.. The original article was published November 10, 2012 and can be found here.
This little tree caught my attention yesterday on State Street downtown. First of all, it's wearing a totally rad sweater. But also, this tree has been buttoned up for a good cause. I totally dig stuff like this...
WXXI and the Rochester City School District (RCSD) have kicked off a two week Coat & Sweater Drive
as a tribute to Fred Rogers (of the beloved PBS children's series, Mister Roger's Neighborhood) and his example of being a caring neighbor.
This tree's outfit was created by local fiber artist and WXXI employee Gretchen Spittler.
Members of the community are encouraged to donate new or gently worn children's sweaters and winter coats, as well as other clothing. Collection receptacles will be available at WXXI, the Little Theatre, RCSD's Central Office, the Rochester Public Market and select YMCA of Greater Rochester branches. Collected clothing will be distributed by the RCSD to its students.
Did you know Fred Rogers' sweaters were all knitted for him by his mother? Each year she knitted a dozen sweaters, and at Christmas, she gave them to family and close friends. To help set the tone for a "comfortable" visit with his young viewers, Fred Rogers decided to put on a sweater and change into sneakers as a way to help children settle in for the half-hour program, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. One of his sweaters is on display at the Smithsonian Institute.
So let's help out some Rochester school kids this year and drop off some sweaters and coats ASAP! There's only a week left for this drive!
To learn more and for a complete list of collection sites, visit WXXI.org/buttonup
