Through the end of January, the Fairfield County Department of Job and Family Services is seeking donations of winter coats to help area homeless people and others in need. The collection is part of the department's annual campaign to aid those in need in Pickerington and throughout Fairfield County.

"We gather the coats through different resources, such as the community and junior and senior high schools," said Jenny Ruff, community resource coordinator at Fairfield County DJFS. "It's not just for the homeless. We have working families that are struggling to make ends meet."

The number of people with financial difficulties seems to be rising, Ruff said.

She noted that nearly 100 coats are being donated each week, and "they're flying out the door" almost as quickly.

"This year, we're running way ahead of last year," she said. "We did 1,200 coats and I expect to exceed that this year."

This year's coat drive coincides with a Fairfield County DJFS tradition in which a Christmas tree is placed in its office lobby for community members to decorate with donated winter hats and gloves. Those in need are permitted to take from the tree through Christmas.

Locally, donations can dropped off at Keely Weaver's insurance office at 194 W. Church St. A drop box also is located outside the office.

"I did it a couple years ago and then people started coming in and wanted to know if they could donate coats," Weaver said. "I called around and found out no one was doing it here."

Weaver said Pickerington donations have been slow, thus far, and she hopes arrangements can be made locally so those in need don't have to travel to Lancaster to pick up winter garments.

"There definitely is a need," she said. "We are not getting the coats like we did two years ago. If anybody has extra coats, we really need them to drop them off."

After coats, hats and gloves are donated, they are cleaned at Fashion Cleaners and Vanity Cleaners, two businesses located in Lancaster and owned and operated by the Lovell family. Ruff said the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office has helped transport the garments and arrangements likely could be made to get them to Pickerington residents.

"It doesn't have to be a grand thing," she said. "Sometimes a very small thing can make a huge difference.

"If people need them, what we're here for is to help."

Those wishing to donate or receive coats, hats and gloves can do so by calling Ruff at (740) 687-6710. She said no one is turned away, and her staff asks no questions of those wishing to benefit from the service.

Max Good, owner of Alterations Station and Dry Cleaning Station at 8497 Sancus Blvd., has announced that his shop will be collecting winter coats, gloves and hats for the needy. The coats will be cleaned and repaired by the staff and distributed to local families through Westerville Caring and Sharing.

The CHA Animal Shelter will open its low-cost spay/neuter cat clinic to the public for the first time Dec. 12. The shelter at 3765 Corporate Drive added the $10,000 spay/neuter clinic last year to service pets that were put up for adoption at the shelter. It was funded through grants and donations from local veterinarians.

Shelter manager Stephanie Wimbish said the goal in opening the clinic to the public is to provide services to pet owners who understand the importance of spaying or neutering their pets but are unable to bear the costs at a typical veterinary hospital.

Making sure that animals are spayed or neutered plays an important role in reducing the number of homeless animals in the community, Wimbish said.

"The whole problem is overpopulation, especially with cats," she said.

Cats who are spayed or neutered are more likely to avoid diseases and less likely to get into fights, run away or have accidents in the house, Wimbish said.

The shelter's clinic will charge $55 to neuter a male cat or $70 to spay a female cat. The cost includes pain medication and a rabies vaccination.

Wimbish said the price paid by pet owners will cover the cost of the operation only. If any money would be left over, she said, it would go toward the shelter's programs.

The shelter will begin its spay/neuter program by offering clinic for cats four times a month. Appointments are required.

Wimbish said the shelter may choose to do offer clinics more frequently depending on demand, which she said she anticipates will be high.

"We get requests all the time, but just until recently, we've had to say no," she said.

Wimbish said the shelter would like to offer spaying and neutering for dogs, but space restrictions stand in the way.

"We're sort of limited in the building, so we would be talking about an expansion of the building," Wimbish said.

She said the shelter may look to add the service for dogs as well, but that would be years away.

During the clinics, the shelter also will offer vaccines, microchip implantation, flea and ear mite treatments, and testing for feline leukemia and the feline immunodeficiency virus.