Lions Club Shoe Drive Shatters Goal By Collecting Over 2,500 Pairs of Footwear
/After a month-long campaign and 2,549 pairs of footwear later, the Peterborough Lions Club concluded a successful Shoe Drive that ended Friday.
MPP Dave Smith (left) with Gwen Sawyer, Lions Club membership director after tallying the final total of pairs of footwear collected. Photo Courtesy of Peterborough Lions Club.
Present at the ceremony were Lions Club President Garth McQuaig, Lions service chair Judy Jenkins, MPP Dave Smith, Haily Whitelock from Bioped Footcare & Orthotics and other committee members to announce the completion of the shoe drive.
Gently-used to brand new footwear of all kinds were accepted at the drive from shoes, flip-flops, cleats, skates and more were taken in as part of the month-long campaign. Community members could drop off their donations at the club located on 347 Burnham St. or at Bioped Footcare at 655 The Queensway, Unit 6.
Judy Jenkins with the shoe drive sign with a minor correction after Smith’s final donation. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
The donated footwear is repaired and restored by Bioped before being redistributed to needing families or individuals, prioritizing locally before donating them abroad.
The club’s goal was 1,000 pairs which was easily shattered which was a pleasant surprise from the committee members.
"I couldn't believe the overwhelming support of our community," said Jenkins. "We put out what our need was and the community just rallied around us and the shoes just kept coming and coming and coming."
Over 150 garbage bags filled with shoes were donated to the Shoe Drive. Photo Courtesy Of Peterborough Lions Club.
