MOLINE, Ill. — On Wednesday, Dec. 8, the Moline Breakfast Optimist Club held its annual "Shoes and Coats that Fit" giveaway.
The program partners with the Jefferson Early Childhood Center to provide students with a new pair of shoes and/or a new coat, as well as a hat and mittens.
Since the giveaway's conception 21 years ago, the Optimists have given Jefferson students roughly 2,000 pairs of shoes and over 250 coats. It's funded through member donations and fundraisers throughout the year.
"It's rewarding because it's a need that the children have," said Patrick Wendt, Chairman of the Optimist Club. "And this time of year, a warm coat is really what you need when you're waiting for your bus."
On Wednesday morning students lined up to get their new garments. But for all their smiling faces, Wendt says the program means just as much to club members.
"For the members, this is, I think, their favorite project because they get to see the results of their labor firsthand," he said. "We get to see the reaction of the children as they're getting their stuff. And how rewarding is that? Plus, we're filling a community need, so this is a perfect outlet for us to do this."
The money for this year's giveaway was raised through the club's flag program. For $45 a year, the Optimists will put a flag in your yard on five different occasions: Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and Veterans Day.
"This year we put 16,066 flags in yards. And if you live in Moline, Rock Island, East Moline, give us a call and we'll be able to put a flag in next year," Wendt said.
The Moline Breakfast Optimist Club meets at 7 a.m. on Wednesdays at the Windmill Family Restaurant in East Moline.
Anyone who's interested in joining the club is welcome to attend.
