Kiwanis Shoe-Giveaway, April 29

The Bay Area Kiwanis’ “Annual Shoe-Giveaway” on April 11th made a difference to many area families. Each spring, the club partners with WalMart to provide shoes to children in need at the local WalMart store. This year the club purchased and distributed over 155 pairs of shoes to kids from Coos Bay and North Bend elementary schools, two daycares, and Head Start. Wal-Mart generously supplied space and staff assistance as well as a pair of socks to go with each pair of shoes and juice and cookies. McDonald’s provided a ticket for each child for a free ice cream cone. Over a dozen Kiwanis members and a couple of North Bend High School Key Clubbers helped families pick out and try on new shoes, marking and bagging the new items, and handing our refreshments. Besides this event, the Bay Area Kiwanis (a recent merger of the North Bend and Coos Bay clubs) serves the community in many ways, including a firewood distribution program for seniors and families in need, scholarships to Coos County students, and much more. Kiwanis fundraisers make these projects possible. Upcoming events include a June 20th Golf Scramble at Bandon Crossings, the annual Wave Young Salmon BBQ at Bastendorff Beach on Sunday, August 2nd, and the teriyaki booth at the Blackberry Arts Festival at the end of August. The club meets on Thursdays at noon at North Bend Lanes. For more information about the club or events, please call John at 541.756.1769.