RENO -- The holiday spirit is going strong at Chester's Reno Harley-Davidson in Reno this year after donating more than $9,000 in gift cards to students throughout the Washoe County School District.

 

For ten years the Klothes to Kids program has been organized by Chester's with the goal of getting gift cards directly in the hands of students for the holiday season. The gift cards come from Ross Stores, Inc. and are distributed to the students in $25 and $50 increments from school counselors.

  The coordinator of counseling for the District, Katherine Loudon said, "Our counselors identify students who may otherwise fall through the cracks and may not be receiving warm clothing during the holiday season. It's really important to remember the older students. Just because they have a grown-up face or body, they are still our students and need a gift. I feel very passionate about this program as it's one of the few for kids in this age group during the holiday time."   The staff works all year long gathering donations for Klothes to Kids, said Toni Gonyea, who is the marketing manager at Chester's Reno Harley-Davidson. "We put on motorcycle rides and events throughout the entire year to collect money for this program. We are really proud of the fact that 100 percent of the money goes directly to the gift cards that are given to students during the holidays."   Loudon says the gift cards are distributed among all of the District high schools and middle schools. It's then up to the counselors at each school to select the students who receive the gift cards as they work closely with the kids who need assistance and are not receiving other support.   Loudon continued, "Many of the students have already been sending thank you notes saying they plan to buy a pair of shoes, clothes or a warm coat for the winter. They are thankful to the community members and staff at Chester's Harley-Davidson who have contributed during this tough economic season. It's heartwarming and encouraging to have this annual support for our students who often fall through the cracks when it comes to support and assistance."