BY MATT MACKINDER
Clarkston News Editor

The Rotary Club of Clarkston is back with its largest community service project and will be kicking off its busiest time of the year.
First, the club will be selling a Rotary newspaper for donations this month at local intersections and at local businesses.
This is followed up next weekend by hosting its 41st annual “Shoes for Kids” community service project for Clarkston school children.
Newspaper sales will be this Friday and Saturday, November 12-13, at three locations at Main and Washington streets, at Sashabaw and Maybee roads, at Sashabaw and Clarkston roads, at Neiman’s Family Market, 7121 Dixie Highway, and at the Ace Hardware locations at 6669 Dixie Highway and 5591 Sashabaw Road. The newspapers will also be sold next Saturday, November 20, at the Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce Holiday Market at Bay Court Park’s Brady Lodge, at Neiman’s Friday, Dec. 3 and Saturday, Dec. 4, and the Christmas craft show at Clarkston High School on Saturday, Dec. 4 and Sunday, Dec. 5.
Every penny from the donations provides for footwear for the “Shoes for Kids” initiative, which will be held at Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, 6805 Bluegrass Drive, on Saturday, November 20. Over 400 children from Clarkston Community Schools have the opportunity to get new shoes, winter boots, hats, and gloves. A total of 175 volunteers are needed to perform various jobs in two hours shifts from 7:30 a.m. until roughly 5 p.m.
In addition, there are other community partners who provide other items and services. The Clarkston Area Optimist Club will be providing new socks through their “Opti-Socks” program, the Clarkston Area Lions Club will offer free eye exams with “Project Kidsight,” local dentists donating oral hygiene products, and MPK Photography’s Mark Kelly will offer a free family portrait or a personal photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
“Shoes for Kids” starts with a setup on Friday night, November 19 from 4-8 p.m. as 35 volunteers are needed to set up over 1,700 pairs of shoes and boots, hats and gloves and arrange other tables. There are multiple opportunities for the community to contribute to the success of this program for the students who will benefit from it.
Children will have the opportunity to pick out the shoes, boots and winter gear that they really want. Individuals can help to check in families, be a guide, help with shoe fitting, help with shoe and boot inventory, and many other things.
The event is not limited to children, however. While this program is “Shoes for Kids,” there are many adults accompanying these children who are also in need of shoes.
If you have any gently used shoes or boots to contribute, please put a pair in a Ziploc bag, label it with the size of the shoe, and send them to Staci Puzio (sapuzio@clarkston.k12.mi.us) at the Clarkston Community Schools office or by calling Clarkston Rotarians Joel DeLong or Mindy DeLong at 248-625-9741.
The community can also donate hygiene products. Items needed include body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste and laundry detergent. Some drop-off locations are Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, Waypoint Church (8400 Dixie Highway), Clarkston Community Church (6300 Clarkston Road), HealthQuest (32 S. Main Street), and Clarkston Independence District Library (6495 Clarkston Road).
Over the past 24 years, over 11,000 Clarkston children have been invited and the community has generously donated over $250,000.
Interested in volunteering to sell newspapers or work the “Shoes for Kids” event? Just visit clarkstonrotary.org.

Photo: Local volunteer Chad Blackstone prepares to sell Rotary newspapers as part of the club’s 2018 fundraiser. Photo provided