Monticello Lions Club seeks shoe donations for Soles4Souls

     “When you donate to Soles4Souls, it’s more than just cleaning out your closet; you’re helping the planet and changing someone’s life.”

   Many people take it for granted that they’ll always have a pair of shows, or multiple pairs of shoes, at their disposal. Before we start our day, we throw on a pair of shoes, sandals, boots, depending on the weather, and walk out the door.

   The Monticello Lions Club is working with the non-profit Soles4Souls in an effort to make sure that EVERYONE has a pair of shoes.

   Monticello Lions Club President, Deb Kuhn, said their club has been working with the Lions Club in Mount Vernon for some time, donating shoes for their Soles4Souls project. Now, the Monticello club wants to open up the service project to the entire Monticello and Jones County community.

   “Both clubs are now doing this project within our communities,” offered Kuhn.

   “Together, with 2,000-plus partners around the world, we get new shoes and clothing to people in crisis, freeing up financial resources they can use toward other needs,” states the Soles4Souls website.

   (Note: The Monticello Lions Club is ONLY accepting shoes; not clothing.)

   Having a good pair of shoes protects people from injuries and infections. Shoes are essential for children to attend school and for adults to go to work. Shoes can “preserve people’s self-worth.”

   By donating used and unwanted shoes, that also keeps them from filling up landfills.

   Soles4Souls accepts all kinds of footwear, from sandals to sneakers to formal shoes, as long as they are new or gently used.

   In 2023, Soles4Souls distributed 5.5 million pairs of shoes and diverted 9.2 million pounds from landfills. The economic impact for just 2023 alone was $69,382,932, which is money that stays in the pockets of the people and communities we serve when they receive shoes, clothing, and other goods.”

   Working with partners all over the globe, Soles4Souls is able to extend the life of 99 percent of the shoes they receive.

   To donate, you’ll find a giant wooden crate located inside the Lions Club food stand shelter at the Jones County Fairgrounds. The crate has a Lions Club logo on the front, so as not to be confused with other receptacles in the area.

   The crate will be protected from the weather and is large enough to allow everyone to donate new or used shoes.

   “We wanted to have it in a centralized location,” offered Kuhn of the drop-off site.

   Soles4Souls accepts all sizes of shoes, too, from child to adult.

   By visiting https://soles4souls.org/give-shoes/, you can easily calculate the impact of your shoe donation.

   Kuhn said the Lions Club has been looking for service projects to take on to promote their club and keep their name out there.

   “This was something different,” she said. “It gets the whole community involved and raises awareness. We’re not asking for money.”

   Within the Lions Club, community service is a major aspect of being a member. It’s also something Kuhn is quite passionate about.

   “We try to help in different ways,” she offered.

   Kuhn has been a member of the Monticello Lions Club for the past six years. She got involved after a church member invited her to a meeting.

   “It was the perfect fit for me,” she said. “At the time, I was working out of town and it was hard for me to get to know people.”

   Her passion for the Lions Club as a whole stems many years.

   “Both my dad and step-dad were past presidents in Minnesota where I was raised,” she shared. “Giving back to one’s community is huge to me.”

   The Monticello Lions Club meets once a month, the first Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at United Church of Monticello, 123 N. Chestnut St.

   “We have a meal and fellowship for that social aspect,” offered Kuhn. “We invite people who might be interested to join and help with our community activism.”

   The cost is $100 a year to join.

   “We’ve lost some of our older members so we’re trying to keep our name out there in the community and encourage young people to get involved so our club doesn’t fall apart,” urged Kuhn.

   The food stand at the Great Jones County Fair is the club’s biggest annual fundraiser. Due to declining membership, they’ve had to reach out to other Lions Clubs to volunteer their time to staff the food stand. The money raised now goes to support all of the clubs who take part during the fair.