Rotary collecting shoes that will go the distance

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Clinton Rotary Club Resident Norlan Hinke (left) and Wal-Mart Store Manager Jason Dennis look through children's shoes at Clinton’s Wal-Mart store. Dennis helped Hinke collect shoes for a Rotary District 6000 project. The shoes will go to children in Africa through Blessman Ministries. Samantha Pidde/Clinton Herald

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March 20, 2013

Rotary collecting shoes that will go the distance

Contributed shoes will make their way to Africa through Blessman Ministries

By Samantha Pidde Herald Staff Writer The Clinton Herald Wed Mar 20, 2013, 09:15 AM CDT

CLINTON — Clinton Rotarians have collected 132 pairs of new shoes and are asking the community for help to get more.

Rotary District 6000 Governor Terry Geiger set a goal to collect one pair of children’s shoes for each member in the district. Clinton Rotary Resident Norlan Hinke said he was always confident that they could come up with the 108 shoes to cover the local chapter’s members.

The shoes will be brought to the Rotary District Conference that will be from April 11 to 13, and will be given to Dr. Jim Blessman of Blessman Ministries. Blessman Ministries formed as a non-profit organization in August 2001. The organization works to meet the needs of the children of South Africa. The shoes collected by Rotary District 6000 will be shipped to South Africa for the ministry. More information on Blessman Ministries is available at http://www.blessmanministries.org.

“I don’t think we can even imagine what it’s like not having shoes. That’s such an important thing,” Jason Dennis, Wal-Mart store manager and Rotarian, said.

Hinke attributed much of the program’s succes to Dennis and Rob Cassidy, owner of Paul's Discount store.

Hinke approached them both on how to get the most shoes for the least amount of money. Dennis said members would give him donations and let him buy the shoes at a low price. Wal-Mart also gave $50 to the project.

Hinke said they have received shoes from other people in the community and that The Alverno gave 22 pairs to the cause. Hinke hopes to collect a total of 150 pairs before the April conference. People can drop shoes off to him at Clinton National Bank, 235 Sixth Ave. South.