THE feet of youth in the region will be kept warmer this winter thanks to a generous donation from a Mount Gambier charity.
Charity Four Reasons Why, along with various organisations in the community, have united to donate 66 shoe vouchers to youths, students and families in need.
“Four Reasons Why was lucky to receive a cash donation from the Mount Gambier branch of OneFortyOne Plantations after they held an office sale, raising $850, which they kindly donated to us,” Four Reason Why’s Trudi Shelton said.
“Our charity then added $150 to their generous donation, taking the amount to $1000.”
The money raised will provide new shoes to local children, families and youth doing it tough this winter.
“We wanted to distribute 33 $30 vouchers out into the community,” Ms Shelton said.
However, this amount doubled when Ms Shelton wrote to the Mount Gambier branch of Spendless Shoes asking if it could match the donation.
“The local branch was very supportive and got on board straight away, taking the idea to head office, which then approved it,” Ms Shelton said.
This allowed the charity to distribute 66 vouchers to 11 agencies and schools.
This has included the Mount Gambier Independent Learning Centre, Helping Young People Achieve, Mulga Street, McDonald Park, Mount Gambier North, Reidy Park, Yahl, Nangwarry, Newbery Park and Naracoorte South Primary schools and Ruby’s Uniting Communities.
“Families have been very appreciative, with shoes going directly on wet feet which are now dry because of the initiative,” Ms Shelton said.
Ms Shelton praised the community, saying it was full of kind people with giving hearts who want the best for everyone.
“I want to celebrate that – people are so quick to tell you what is wrong with where you live or what is wrong with the community,” she said.
“Let’s shine a light on what is working and what the community does to help one another.”
