Shoe Caravan 2026 Round-UP

From RIPN Larry Lunsford:  This is our 25th year anniversary of benefitting orphan and vulnerable children by collecting new shoes – a milestone that makes us proud.

I must thank each Rotary Club in District 6040 for your sustained shoes energy over all these years, and your encouragement to me personally along the way.    Admittedly,  there will be a heightened commitment this year to this project that connects each of our 52 Rotary Clubs.  Over the past 24 years, we have collected in the state of Missouri 450,027 pairs of shoes.  What a privilege for us to do good in the world.

That result has energized Governor Jodi and many others in our Rotary Clubs to try to reach a mark of 500,000 pairs of shoes at the end of this year’s campaign.  I embrace this lofty goal.

In addition to saying thank you, I want to communicate today on the 25th of July and state my commitment to join Governor Jodi and others in making this year’s Shoes for Orphan Souls project a 10-month project.  I sincerely want to encourage the Rotarians in your clubs to shop for shoes every month until we have our Shoes Roll Call at the District Conference at the Rotary Youth Camp in Lees Summit on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

Yes, a heightened commitment.    My commitment is to encourage you throughout the year by communicating to you on the 25th day of each month, to help keep the Shoes for Orphan Souls project “top-of-mind”.