The American Agoge, located at 315 S. Third St. in Ironton, has been sponsoring a winter clothing drive this year to help the homeless throughout the Tri-State.

The Agoge was the training regimen mandated for all male Spartan citizens that prepared them for their future.

“The American Agoge is a self-defense, survival and firearm training program with the goal being to prepare people with the skills needed to defend themselves or others during the worst moments of their lives,” James Chinn, assistant at the American Agoge and director of the drive, said. “With the weather supposed to be bad this year, we decided to do the winter clothing drive to help homeless people in need prepare and defend their lives against many bad days in the cold.”

A large donation was made by Area Advertising in Ashland to help start the drive.

“We plan to hand donated materials out directly in certain areas in the Tri-State where homelessness is a problem. We want to help those who are sleeping in parks and under bridges now,” Chinn said. “The materials that are left over from that will go to missions and shelters.”

Winter clothing, such as hats, gloves, wool socks, heavy shirts, hoodies, jackets, coats and blankets, can all be donated if they are clean and in good condition.

“We don’t have a large organization, so we are just trying to help out where we can,” Chinn said. “Through the Agoge, we want to help people defend against the cold and try to be our brother’s keeper.”

Items can be dropped off at the American Agoge, American Health Centers in Chesapeake, Premier Duty Gear in Ashland and the Kenova Municipal Building in Kenova, West Virginia. If there are any questions, call James Chinn at 740-751-2602.

The drive ends Friday, Dec. 19.