BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
A $5,000 donation from the David W. Elliott Memorial Foundation for Clarkston Rotary Club’s Shoes for Kids program should go a long way.
With winter snow a few weeks away, it’s still the off season for boots, hats, gloves, and other cold weather items.
“Each dollar will be able to go farther,” said Henry Woloson of Independence Township, who presented the donation to Rotarians Joel DeLong and Al Avery, on Oct. 5.
The donation will be split between two Rotary programs – $2,000 to Shelterbox, $3,000 to Shoes for Kids.
“The donation is absolutely fantastic, well appreciated and unexpected,” said DeLong, Shoes for Kids organizer along with his wife, Mindy DeLong. “We have great cooperation with community and support groups. In the past 20 years, the community has donated a quarter of a million dollars, providing shoes to over 8,000 children.”
“It’s awesome. It’s always good to be thought of in these situations,” said Al Avery, Rotary president. “We appreciate the donation. It’s going to a great cause.”
Shelterboxes, individually packed plastic bins containing a tent, blankets, cooking equipment, tools, solar light, and other items, are well designed for disaster relief, Woloson said.
“Especially the hurricanes going on,” he said. “They’re self contained and can be mass produced and airlifted in. They’re very cost effective.”
Rotary also provides teams on the ground to help with relief efforts, DeLong said.
The Shelterbox program is run locally by Clarkston Rotarians Mary Sloan and Jeff Lichty.
“People want to give. This is a good opportunity to give to a group with a local presence and international reach,” Woloson said.
Clarkston Rotarians and other community volunteers will be on area streets on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1-2, selling the Clarkston Rotary and Clarkston News Goodfellows newspaper. All funds collected that weekend will be spent the following weekend on Shoes for Kids.
They’ll serve about 350 children. Volunteers can sign up for two hour shifts at www.clarkstonrotary.org.