Woman's Club gathers soles

The Plains Woman's Club is participating in a nationwide program to help put shoes on the less fortunate.

The General Federation of Women's Clubs adopted the project last year, according to Plains Woman's Club member Debbie Heckman. The national nonprofit organization is called Soles4Souls and is based in Tennessee. According to the Soles4Souls website, the group has distributed over 30 million pairs of shoes around the world since its creation 13 years ago.

"If they go overseas, they go to poorer countries," said Debbi Kirschbaum, acting president of the Plains club. "The shoes do go domestically because there is a need in the U.S.," she added.

The Plains club has collected just over 100 pairs of shoes in a variety of good conditions, sizes and styles, such as boots, sandals, clogs, heels, slippers, and sports shoes. The shoes will be shipped to Spokane and Zappos.com will pay for shipping, according to Heckman. "People have donated about half that are new and half gently used shoes," said Heckman.

The Plains Woman's Club will continue to collect the shoes throughout June. People can drop the shoes off at the old log schoolhouse along Railroad Street. The club might collect again, depending on the community support. "It provides for our club and community to work as a team, thus volunteering our efforts to touch many people in need through the world," said Heckman.