FIRST DAY SHOE FUND
All children should start school on equal footing!
Spring2015∙Issue9
Note from the Executive Director
HAPPENINGS
We distributed a total of 2,885 pairs of new athle c shoes during our summer and fall 2014 distribu on. Our First Day Shoe Fund Youth Board raised $900 in dona ons during their Leaf Raking Fundraiser last fall in the Winchell neighborhood. 43 teenagers represen ng 5 schools in Kalamazoo County volunteered their me for the Youth Board event. 
Members of the “No Puffins” women’s bowling league purchased 60 brand new pairs of children’s athle c shoes to donate to us instead of exchanging holiday gi s with each other this year! Spring Valley Church in Kalamazoo held a Sunday shoe drive and collected 15 pairs of new running shoes for our program. Raymond James & Associates employees donated cash in exchange for their Friday “Jeans Days” last fall. Their contribu ons raised $680 in dona ons to First Day Shoe Fund. The Holiday & Party Planning Commi ee of the KPS Administra on Office created a yogurtbar breakfast fundraising event for all office staff to par cipate. They raised $190 in dona ons to First Day Shoe Fund during their fun morning event. Sally Reames, good friend of Board Member Lucy Ma hews, celebrated Lucy's birthday this year by presen ng her with a cer ficate for a "Shoe of the Month Club." Each month Sally will be purchasing a new pair of athle c shoes and dona ng them to First Day Shoe Fund in Lucy's honor! Happy Spring, First Day Shoe Fund Supporters! 2014 was a wonderful year for First Day Shoe Fund. We worked with great community partnerships, con nued our growing rela onships with wonderful and dedicated volunteers, and strategized for con nued growth and sustainability for future success! We are delighted to announce our new expansion plans for the 2015 2016 school year. Previously, we distributed shoes to children in pre-K through 3rd grade. For the upcoming shoe distribu on, our board of directors has voted to include children in pre-K through 5th grade in Kalamazoo Public Schools and pre-K through 4th grade in Comstock Public Schools as well as WoodsEdge Learning Center. This means that as many as 1,800 addi onal school children in need will poten ally receive new shoes! The beginning of the year marked changes in members of our board of directors. Sabrina Pritche -Evans, First Day Shoe Fund’s one and only board president since the organiza on’s incep on in 2006, has handed down the president’s role to Ann Gunia, who previously served as vice president. Sabrina will con nue to serve as a board member going forward. We are incredibly thankful for Sabrina’s years of dedica on to First Day Shoe Fund and are so grateful for all she has done to help advance us to where we are now. The planning has begun for our summer shoe distribu on; please see the details listed in the newsle er. As always, feel free to contact me at [email protected], and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twi er. Thanks for your con nued support! www.firstdayshoefund.org
donors
donors
Thankyou!
donors
4H Tigers Club Allegra Matthew and Cynthia Alves Arcadia Ales Brewing Co. Greg and Jennifer Arvanigian Mark and Ann Austin Bank Of America Charitable Foundation Mary Barrone Kris Bazali Beim Foundation Randy and Bridget Billian Sue Binning Bookbug Mary and Donald Brown Janice Brown Jan Bundy Dr. Carla Campbell-Jackson Russell and Susan Canning
Captain Soloman and Walker James and Carol Carter Andy and Kris Charles Brink, Key and Chludzinski Lori Coates-Hay and Marshall Hay Joan Colgren Terri Cooper Corey's Bootery Alexa and Peter Crowe CSM Group Jerry and Melanie Culp Jim and Hilary Curtis Dan Coyne and Linda Stieve Babajide Daranijoh Larry Davenport Sandra and Mark Delorey Valerie Denghel Fran Denny Sally Dixon-Birch Deb Dockweiler David and Sandy Docsa Dorothy Dalton Foundation Sherrie Draayer Eaton Corporation Paula and Jim Eckert Stuart and Karen Eddy Edward J. Fletcher Foundation Catherine Ellis Alex and Andrea Enyedi
James Escamilla Dr. Alain and Dr. Michele Fabi Dr. Arhur and Nancy Falk Betsy and Peter Farner Ellen and Dennis Faurot First Day Shoe Fund - Youth Board Ann and Gary Fergemann John E. Fetzer Institute
donors
Without donations, First Day Shoe Fund would not be
able to provide shoes to the many children who need
them in Kalamazoo County. Thank you so much for your
support and donations!
John Findling & Associates LLC First National Bank Of Michigan Barb and John Fish Sandy Ford David and Lois Forrest MaryAnn and Jim Foster Nancy and Craig Fratzke Patti Frawley David and Nicole Furgason Coreen and Kavan Geary
Amy Glass and Ross Chapman Karen and Sean Greenwood Guido and Elizabeth Binda Foundation Gary and Ann Gunia Mary McCormick and Gunther Hega Todd and Heather Haigh Bev and Bill Haigh
Margaret Hamilton and Rod Carpenter Ladislav and Eva Hanka Lisa and Whitney Hansen Mark and Brooke Hari Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation Harry's Foundation
Mitch Hawkins Marsha and Jim Heath Jim and Deb Hemenway Kathryn Henriksen Sarah Herwick Jeff and Katie Heystek Jud and Darcy Hoff Mitch and Michele Holtzer George and Mary Horensky Hal Horneffer
Karen Horneffer-Ginter and Paul Ginter Sue and Raymond Hughes Scott and Stacey Hunter Christopher and Catherine Hurley Impact Label Corporation Irving S. Gilmore Foundation Sheryl Janke Jon and Carrie Jilek Jim and Jill Jilek
www.firstdayshoefund.org
Dr. Joe Foundation Kalamazoo Co. Sherrif's Mounted Unit Kalamazoo Community Foundation Nancy Kehrle Dave and Karen Kempe Melinda Kiplinger Dave and Kay Koldyke Nancy Kovach Tom and Karen Kruse KZOO SPARTANS Ron and Lina Lambe
Yolanda Lavender Andy Lincoln Larry and Linda Lueth Carter and Greg Magnell Lucy Matthews Michael and Amy Maxson Tim and Sandy McAfee
Sean McCann and Priscilla Lambert Rich McDermott Charlie and Michele McGowen Mark and Ann McLain Mary and Bob Mellema
Gerald Miller and Bonnie Friedman Michelle Miller-Adams Jennifer Monk Jeff Monroe Morgan Stanley Dick and Pamela Nivala Jim Oakes Florence and Joel Orosz Mrs. Carla Orwin Amy Pachay-Kish Robert Page Bill and Kelly Parrish Emily and Jeff Pearson Pepsico Julie and Bob Peterson Helene and Gary Pilnick Tom and Mary Platte Pamela and William Pohlman Kristen and Eric Potts Michael and Pam Potts Linda and Tom Powell Jim and Judy Praeger Penola Presley Sabrina Pritchett-Evans Larry and Aura Provancher Dr. Chris Quinn Trank Sally Reames Nancy Remynse Janice and Robert Rensch Anthony and Alisandra Rizzolo Luann Rodgers Anne Rohrer Angie Rohrer
Greg Rosine and Sharon Glaser Kristine Rudowske Janice Ryder Raymond and Maria Sackett Greg and Joyce Salisbury Jeff Schiff Senator Tonya Schuitmaker Seminole Weitzenhofer Foundation Patti Sholler-Barber Bruce and Kathy Shurtz Judy Smith Mary Smyser Steve and Ann Soper Joseph and Gloria Spoerl
James and Barbara Springgate Joanne and Dick Stewart James and Brenda Stoddard Jim Stone Sharon Stratton Rebecca and Adam Strauss Derek and Jerry Strine Stryker Instruments Mel and Diane Sunshine Maria Suszynski Margaret Tanner
Frank Taylor and Barry Schroeder Linda Teare Technical Packaging Systems, Inc. James and Marie Thomas TJX Foundation Winship and MaryLou Todd Sarah Torrence Pam Trank John and Carol Trittschuh William and Joyce Truscott Jack and Catherine Ullrey Ullrey & Company Chris and Joell VanWinkle Molly Vass-Lehman Dana Verville W.K. Kellogg Foundation Bradford and Marilyn Walker John and Jennifer Ward Carol Waszkiewicz Pamela and Joshua Weiner Kevin Wheeler Beth Wilson Jana and Gordy Wolfe Sue and Dennis Yetter Jennifer Young Jerry and Mary Zwart
donors
donors
Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy.
Please contact us at [email protected] in the event of an error.
2015 First Day Shoe Fund Board
Board of Directors
Ann Gunia - President
Angie Rohrer - Vice President
Yolonda Lavender - Secretary
Lucy Matthews - Treasurer
Board Members
Dr. Terina Harvey
Jud Hoff
Scott Hunter
Michelle Miller-Adams
Kristen Potts
Sabrina Pritchett-Evans
Aura Provancher
Mark
Your Calendar!
Summer shoe distribu on dates have been set for qualifying Kalamazoo Public School LY
JU
students. We will be distribu ng shoes in the mornings on July 27, 28, 29 and 30 and the a ernoon/evening of July 29. We need a great deal of volunteer help to make these distribu on days run smoothly. We would greatly appreciate your assistance! 27
If you would like to volunteer at any of these distribu on dates, please contact Heather at [email protected]. Don’t forget – we have volunteer opportuni es for large groups! Valerie Denghel - Founder
UPDATED MISSION STATEMENT:
The expansion decision led us to update our mission as follows: “First Day Shoe Fund is dedicated to providing new athle c shoes to school‐age children in Kalamazoo County
who qualify for free or reduced‐price lunch.”
www.firstdayshoefund.org
www.firstdayshoefund.org
twitter.com/FirstDayShoe
www.facebook.com/firstdayshoefund
www.firstdayshoefund.org
First Day Shoe Fund P.O. Box 2751
Kalamazoo, MI 49001 First Day Shoe Fund invites you and
your friends to join us for Brews &
Shoes on Wednesday, May 13th,
from 5 - 7 p.m. at Arcadia Brewing in
Kalamazoo.
Bring a new pair of children’s athletic shoes
(Preferred shoe sizes: youth 11 - adult 10, including
half sizes) or make a donation ($10 minimum) and enjoy light appetizers and
Arcadia beer.
First Day Shoe Fund will distribute your new pair of athletic shoes to students at
Kalamazoo, Comstock, and WoodsEdge Schools who qualify for free or reduced
lunch.
Learn more about
First Day Shoe Fund: firstdayshoefund.org