Altrusa International of Branch County works with Soles4Souls to Meet Needs of Children

[excerpted from The Daily Reporter, Coldwater Michigan]

photo and story by Roland Stoy

There are so many needs for so many people in Branch County, Michigan.

Important among those needs are shoes and boots for children, and Altrusa International of Branch County, an organization of executive and professional women, has made this area one of their activities in community service.

"The need is huge," said Connie Winbigler of Altrusa. "There are a lot of children who don't have proper shoes or boots, and this can become a health issue."

Thanks to their affiliation with Soles4Souls, an international organization dedicated to providing footwear for those in need, Altrusa has an inventory of shoes and boots stored in the basement of Hauska Home and Farm on Chicago Street in downtown Coldwater.

Monday, Winbigler, along with Sara Roper of Hauska and Sue Crabtree, stocked an additional 114 pair of shoes and boots, and were gratified to fit a couple of young clients with new footwear.

Winbigler said they have been spreading the word to service clubs and organizations regarding the availability, but primarily teachers from pre-school to grades three and four are on the watch for those children in need and have forms by which the footwear is procured.