Coats for Kids is partnering with Quota of Atascadero this year on their special “Hoodies for Kids” project. Nice new “hoodies” have been purchased and will be distributed to children in need through The Link Family Resource Center advocates here in North County, working with the schools. The “Hoodie Project” distributions will take place during the month of October.

For more information, visit QuotaofAtascadero.com.

The link was created in 1998 as a project of the Atascadero Youth Task Force.

Its mission was to identify available services, assist youth and families in connecting with those needed services, and create services to support families. Since that time, The Link has grown and expanded, offering an office location in Atascadero and Paso Robles. The Family Resource Centers now have service outreach across the North County, Cambria, Shandon, San Miguel, Creston, and Cayucos.

For more information, visit linkslo.org.

In December, Coats for Kids will celebrate 34 years of providing warm coats, jackets, sweaters, and sweatshirts to families in need here in North County, and our distributions will take place through churches in this area of the county, Quota members, along with other faithful volunteers, will again be involved.

You may recall that before COVID, we were able to distribute from the National Guard Armory in Atascadero with Atascadero Loaves and Fishes and Kiwanis of Atascadero. In Paso Robles, we worked with Toy Bank of Greater Paso Robles at the Paso Robles Event Center. Unfortunately, due to COVID, we all had to change our distribution plans. Not much has changed this year, so we will continue to work with our local churches to help us provide warm apparel for those in need.

Please continue to take your gently used coats, jackets, etc., to our North County Cleaners, and they will clean the items free of charge. Then, we will pick them up and distribute them in December. Items should be for children and adults.

For more information, contact Barbie at (805)461-1234.

The other night I tasted a lemon pie that simply melts in your mouth! It was delicious, and I was surprised that one of our card-playing buddies had actually made it. According to Diane Schneider, her husband Mike likes to cook, and he had made the pie for our card party.

What a guy!

I managed to get the recipe. It’s one of those simple yet yummy desserts you’ll make over and over and over again. Thanks, Mike. I’m sure your Kiwanis Club of Atascadero will probably want you to bring a pie to a meeting on a Thursday morning at 7 a.m. so they can do a “tasting.”

Mike’s Lemon Cream Pie
Ingredients:
10-ounce jar lemon curd
8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1-ounce fresh lemon juice
1/8 cup sugar
1 graham cracker crust

Directions:
Fold first five ingredients together. Fill pie crust. Refrigerate 2 hours before serving.

Note: The pie can be garnished with fresh mint leaves, blueberries, or thin lemon slices. Be creative. Garnish as you serve the pie.

Cheers!