Members of three area churches gathered Saturday at Brush Valley Chapel where they packed up more than 50 bags of donations for military veterans residing at the Tomorrow’s Hope facility in Coalport, Clearfield County. 

Participating churches were Brush Valley Chapel, Calvary Methodist and United Methodist, all in Brush Valley Township. 

The amount of donations — which came in from members of churches throughout the area as well as a drive at last month’s Michael W. Smith concert at IUP’s Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex — exceeded expectations, organizers said. 

The concert donation drive alone collected enough to fill three pickup trucks and two cars, according to Della Jean Manning, a Brush Valley Chapel member who heads up the efforts. 

“We’ve just collected a lot, a lot of things,” she said. “ It was very well-received by the community.” 

Items received included clothing, razors and treats and toys for service dogs and other pets.  The surplus, she said, will be given to Tomorrow’s Hope. 

The donations will be distributed at a holiday pizza party Saturday at Tomorrow’s Hope. 

About 10 graduates of the Tomorrow’s Hope re-entry program currently live in Indiana County, according to Manning.