Dear Fellow Rotarians:
I have been asked by our District Governor for 2013-14, Jack McAllister, to
serve as his aide. During his term in office, I will be visiting many clubs and
am looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible.
But first, let me get right to the point. I have been given the opportunity
to serve as coordinator and "cheerleader” for The Buckner Shoe Project. This is
the largest humanitarian aid project of Buckner International providing new
shoes and socks to orphans in the United States and throughout the world. Rotary
clubs in our district and District 6710, our sister Rotary district in Kentucky,
will be assisting in this important effort by collecting athletic shoes sizes
youth 1 – Adult 9.
Why are new shoes so
important?
New shoes provide health.
In many developing countries we
serve, children are forced to walk barefoot for miles to gather clean water, to
visit a doctor or to go to school. Diseases like hookworm, jiggers, tetanus and
other parasites enter the body through the feet. These diseases can stunt a
child's growth and development, as well as cause life-long cognitive impairment.
Walking barefoot in rocky or muddy terrain can also cause injury to a child's
feet, further opening the possibility for infection or disease.
New
shoes provide education.
Many schools around the world require
children to wear shoes to attend, but for many poverty-stricken families, shoes
are a luxury they cannot afford.
New shoes provide
hope.
For many of the children we serve in orphanages around the
world, new shoes are a constant and urgent need. They do not own a single
possession to their name. New shoes provide hope for these children that someone
out there cares about them and loves them unconditionally.
Why new
shoes?They communicate volumes about what someone is worth. Simply
put, we think the children we serve are worth it.
There is nothing like a good competition to add excitement and motivation. In
this spirit, District 6710 has challenged District 6740 claiming they will
collect more shoes per Rotarian than we will for the Buckner Shoe Project. The
collection process will continue until the November Joint District Conference in
Louisville where the participating Rotary Clubs will receive recognition for
their efforts. The President Elect in your club has all the information needed
to begin. As important as this contest is, let us not lose sight of this
important cause. New shoes help keep children healthy and safe. Without the gift
of new shoes, children might never reach their full potential. Should you need
any further information, please feel free to contact me.
Be sure to watch and share the You Tube video below for more information.
http://youtu.be/u7R9u3dXy1w
