Monroe Exchange Club wants your old sneakers

Suzanne Nolan Wisler, The Monroe News
·3 min read

MONROE — The Monroe Exchange Club is leading a statewide used sneaker collection. Locally, shoes can be dropped off at Paula’s House through April 15.

The local club started the new GotSneakers fundraiser this year. It will raise money for a new scholarship that will be awarded by the Michigan District Exchange Club.

“(Several) other Exchange Clubs across the state are also participating in the collection, with a state goal of 4,000 sneakers,” said Monroe Exchange Club’s Joann Van Aken, project leader.

Van Aken hopes to raise at least $4,000 to fund the new $1,000 Legacy Scholarship Award, which will be given to the child or grandchild of a Michigan District Exchange Club member. Funds from the sneaker collection also will benefit local clubs' service projects.

Some of the used sneakers already collected by the Monroe Exchange Club are shown. Shoes can be dropped-off at Paula's House though April 15.
Some of the used sneakers already collected by the Monroe Exchange Club are shown. Shoes can be dropped-off at Paula's House though April 15.

“$4,000 will provide needed funds to award the scholarship at the annual state convention in May. In addition, half of what each club raises is going back to the clubs for community service projects in their communities throughout the state,” Van Aken said.

She proposed the fundraising idea after finding GotSneakers online. GotSneakers, a sneaker recycling company, gives organizations money for each pair of shoes; the amount depends on the shoes' conditions.

“It was something I came across recently online when looking for fundraising opportunities that perhaps the Michigan District Exchange Clubs could do,” she said. “I approached the Michigan District Exchange Club board of directors last fall with the idea and since have developed it into a fundraiser to support the Legacy Scholarship Award with the assistance of Don Spencer.”

Spencer, a Monroe Exchange Club member, is the Michigan District's president-elect.

The Monroe club alone hopes to collect 1,000 pairs of shoes.

“There are approximately 150 pairs that our club has collected so far, but we have club members and several organizations collecting throughout the area now who are just beginning," Spencer said. "There are approximately 12 of 17 Exchange Clubs collecting throughout Michigan. We hope area businesses as well as our schools and organizations we support will help collect sneakers and get them to us. It's a fun thing to do."

Shoes can be dropped-off from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays through April 15 at Paula’s House, 3580 S. Custer Road in Monroe. Pick-up is available for businesses or groups that have 40 or more pairs. Pairs should be bound together with a rubber band. Only sneakers will be collected; no other shoes or boots are needed. To arrange other drop-off or pick-up arrangements, contact Van Aken at 734-755-0490 or vanakenjoann@gmail.com.

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For shoes in fair condition, GotSneakers will give the Michigan District Exchange Club $1. Shoes in good condition will receive $2; those in excellent condition, $7.

GotSneakers sells shoes in better conditions to second-hand markets. Shoes that are heavily used and damaged are recycled and made into new shoes. To learn more, visit GotSneakers.org.

— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe Exchange Club wants your old sneakers