Shoes for Orphan Souls Drive Starts for Rotary Club

Excelsior Springs Rotary Past President Bob Gerdes hands Larry Lunsford a check for $700 dollars to go along with donations for the Shoes for Orphan Souls program (Photo Courtney Cole)

Heading into its 22nd year, the annual Excelsior Springs Rotary Shoes for Orphan Souls Drive starts asking for new shoes donations to be given by residents for children everywhere, including Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. In partnership with the Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls, the local Rotary Club does a drive for new shoes every Spring. Last Spring the Club reported that there were 53 pairs of shoes and $700 in monetary donations collected for the effort.

Even with the struggles that have existed the past few years with COVID, Larry Lunsford “Shoes Cheerleader” for the Rotary District 6040 Clubs announced the following annual total collection figures:

• 2022 (our 21^st year) ———– 13,464 pairs of shoes – 3,653 pairs of socks – 151 pairs of shoelaces – $32,666 in cash donations – and over 1,400 T-Shirts!

• 2021 (our 20^th year) ———– 15,505 pairs of shoes – 5,093 pairs of socks – 2,662 pairs of shoelaces – $23,187 in cash donations.

• 2020 (our 19^th year) ———– 16,571 pairs of shoes – 3,726 pairs of socks – 1,502 pairs of shoelaces – $12,635 in cash donations.

Rotary will begin collecting new sneakers and boots between now through March. Donations can be dropped at the Excelsior Springs Chamber of Commerce. If your business or church organization would like to get involved by collecting donations, please reach out to the local organizer Sean McNabb, Business Community Liaison for the Excelsior Springs Job Corps Center at 816-630-5501.