Northwest Region

Shoes for Needy Kids Service Project

December 17, 2007

Nothing can ever quite match the spontaneous joy of giving a free pair of new shoes and socks to 34 needy kids from (Portland's inner city) Chapman Elementary School just one week before Christmas 2007. Lions members Roger and Jennifer Thompson of the Portland Downtown Lions Club, co-chaired the shoes for needy kids committee of 16 members. Blue Star Charters of Vancouver, WA, donated round trip luxury motor coach transportation for the students between their school and Payless Shoe Source (Downtown). The cost of each pair of new shoes was matched dollar for dollar by Payless Shoe Source and Portland Downtown Lions Club.

Generous donations from Jeff and Grace Mandel and the Thompson's underwrote whatever costs their club might have incurred from the service project. Other Lions that volunteered their assistance with the project from Portland Downtown included President Gary Tipton, LaMarr Tipton, Warren and Susan Heathman, PID Bill and Nita Rollins, Diana Richardson, Stephen Kain, Warren Rathbun, John Harney, Lauren Fisher, and Wally Watkins.

"Smiles, hugs, and enthusiastic thank-you's from 34 needy kids at Christmas is all any Lion can possibly need to actually make the motto: 'We Serve' mean something"
-Article submitted by Past President Gary Tipton 8-2-08