When sponsors Good Morning America and Burlington Coat Factory asked us what motivates someone donate a coat, our first thought was that there are as many motives as there are donors. If asked, each donor would tell a different tale. Our next thought was to ask the woman whose own gently worn coat started it all for us, Lois Pavlow.

Lois told us that she was simply going through her closet one day and noticed a coat that she wasn't wearing any more. At first, she thought about giving it to a friend. But, then, she thought, "No! Some poor homeless person could really use this coat, this one warm coat."

She shared the idea with a friend, who shared it with another friend and another, and so on. Down the chain of friends, a restaurant owner sponsored a "kick off" for Lois's coat collection. That inspired the city's football team - who showed up with a whole pile of winter coats! Next, Lois says, she contacted Compass Community Services about the coats and "before you knew it, they had delivered them to people in need..."

Lois's motivation? "Nothing beats the good feeling one gets from giving to the community or to others. And that's about it."

Sounds simple, doesn't it? Simply...wonderful!

What motivates you to donate coats? We invite you to share your "coat tale!" Click here to contact Sybil.