Local hospital collecting blankets to keep community warm

Gundersen Health System hopes to collect 1,000 blankets

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — As the mercury in the thermometer drops lower and lower, nurses at Gundersen Health System are doing their part to keep the community warm.

On Monday, they kicked off the 9th annual blanket drive, “Wrapping the Community in Warmth.” They are hoping to collect more than 1,000 blankets.

“Especially in our climate where it’s so cold, many people that are homeless or people that have not many belongings, the one thing that they could use, and that’s a necessity is a warm blanket,” said Kathy Koehne, a registered nurse at Gundersen.

The drive runs through January 15th. Blankets will be given to patients and to those in need at several local organizations. “It’s amazing how many people in the area are already in need,” said Koehne, “We’re already distributing some of the blankets that have trickled in.”

There are five drop-off locations in La Crosse and Onalaska:

Legacy Building Lobby (Hospital), Level 1 Gundersen La Crosse Clinic Lobby, Level 1 East Building Lobby, Level 1 Gundersen Onalaska Clinic Lobby, Level 1 Onalaska Support Services Building Lobby, Level 1