This year’s Leadership Loveland class decided, instead of holding a fundraiser, to hold a drive to clothe those who may be in a tough situation.

The group is currently collecting clothing donations that will go to a new program at McKee Medical Center that offers clothes for people who are leaving the hospital but, for any of number of reasons, can’t wear what they came into the hospital with.

Leadership Loveland is a class hosted by the Loveland Chamber of Commerce designed for community leaders to learn about the city, according to the Chamber’s website. The class meets once a month for nine months and discusses various topics while also leading a class project to improve something in the city.

Kristal Whitted, a member of this year’s class and associate director registered nurse for the emergency department at McKee, said that while a clothing program like this exists in Banner’s North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, there wasn’t anything like it at the Loveland hospital. The Loveland hospital had some clothes, but it was not really organized into a clothing program, she added.

“Taking this on I thought it was a good project to be able to build up our supply and help our community in a different way,” she said.

Lucas Gillis, a co-president of the class, said the group thought it was a great idea not only for the impact it would have, but also because it required little to no financial strains for people interested in donating.

He said that people leaving the hospital shouldn’t have to leave in a paper gown if they have no other way of getting a change of clothes, especially if they have just undergone a traumatic incident.

“Giving someone, especially if someone is in need, something they can feel comfortable in leaving after a horrendous experience, we feel that is a very valuable thing to provide to the community,” he said.

The group began collecting clothes on March 31 and has already seen a huge response from the community, collecting items from full boxes across Loveland.

“It has really gone gangbusters,” said Deanna Sloat, business programs and event director for the Loveland Chamber of Commerce. “They have already collected a lot of clothes.”

For the members of the class, the project is a great way to give back to the community in a way that some might not otherwise think about.

“Its all a part of giving to the community in general. We are all a part of the community,” Whitted said. “Not everybody knows how to give and they want to give. This is just a way to do it.”

Tate Hedgespeth and Sam Schleiger both said it has been a great feeling to see so many residents willing to lend a hand.

“It shows that our community is willing to help, to step out and do something right,” Schleiger said. “We have good people in this community. It made me feel really good that we can go out and do something and make people have a better day when they leave the hospital. We want to make sure they feel comfortable.”

“I think it has been cool to see the community come together to benefit a need that our community (has),” Hedgespeth added. “We see a lot of negatives about what goes on in Loveland, and this shows me there (are) good people and good things happening in the community.”

“These folks really are ingrained in the community itself just by working (in Loveland) and giving back each day,” Sloat said. “Then they also see the impact they are making and others around them see the impact they are making to become future leaders and step up when something needs to be taken care of. That is our main focus as leadership when something arises where we see a need within our community, the leaders step up and take care of it.”

The Leadership Loveland class will be accepting donations until early May with drop-sites across the city. These include:

• McKee Medical Center, 2000 Boise Ave.

• Pulse, 815 14th St. SW Unit C240

• Loveland Police Department, 810 E. 10th St.

• Weedin Insurance Agency, 1601 E. Eisenhower Blvd.

• Desk Chair, 201 E. Fourth St.

• Club Loveland, 289 E. 29th St.

• M & E Painting and Roofing, 1542 Taurus Court.

• Blue Federal Credit Union, 1371 Sculptor Drive.

Residents can donate gently used clothing, shoes and coats as well as new socks or underwear at the locations.

The class will also be holding a final donation from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 3 at McKee Medical Center.