Tiger Docks in Wright City is feeling the Christmas spirit, after collecting more than 1,100 winter coats for charity within the span of a month.

Walking into the business at the beginning of this week, one might have mistaken it for a clothing store in a mall. Racks of brand-new coats in many varieties, meticulously sorted by color and size, lined every wall of Tiger Docks’ front show room, waiting to go to children in need.

The dock manufacturer nestled into Wright City’s industrial park collected coats in collaboration with Warner’s Warm-up, an annual effort to provide the coats to disadvantaged children and families. Tiger Docks co-owner Chrissy Davis said all of the coats will go to kids in Warren and St. Charles counties.

“Our goal was to keep it in St. Charles and Wright City (areas) and help people that are close to us,” Davis said.

This is the third year that Tiger Docks has done some kind of Christmas collection, Davis explained. Last year, the business collected for the Toys For Tots charity. It was a successful collection, but Davis said this year she wanted to work with an organization that would guarantee the collection helps local kids.

On Tuesday, representatives of local schools, charities and social programs came to the Tiger Docks show room to browse the collection of coats. They were free to take what they needed for the children they work with who are in need of the help, Davis said.

Davis and her husband, Nick, are the parents of four children, and recognized that their business could make a difference in the lives of other families.

“We have the resources to be able to do it, and we understand that not everyone does. We have the manpower, we have the time, we have the connections,” Davis commented. “Anybody can do this … but I think that we can do it, so I feel like it’s our duty to do something.”

A huge number of coats were collected through a network business connections, as well as family and friends, Davis said. But once word got out about the coat drive, Tiger Docks also began receiving anonymous donations as well.

“A lot of people want to (give), they just have no idea where to go,” said Tiger Docks marketing coordinator Jamie Gianopulos. She said they made personal visits with several businesses in the area who were happy to get involved.

The collection is large enough that it requires several months of planning to organize the outreach. Discussions about who they would reach out to began in August.

“We’re tired,” joked Davis. “We’re ready for these coats to go to a good home.”

Knowing the positive impact this effort will have on local families, Davis and Gianopulos said the effort was worth it. They’ll get a long break after the holidays, and come next fall will be ready to begin another collection.