Winter 2007
Volume 1, Number 8
A Newsletter From Clothes To Kids, Inc.
The mission of Clothes to Kids, Inc is to provide new and quality used clothing to low income school-aged children in Pinellas County .
Save The Date! 3rd Annual Spring “Clothe A Child” Luncheon April 12th
Clothes To Kids Brings Happy Holidays To Many
A young mother named Carrie walked into Clothes To Kids in early December for her first appointment. With referral in hand, she sat at the reception desk waiting to be checked in. Her face had a look of despair and confusion. “I just need some warm clothes for my kids before Christmas,” she stated. “I can’t afford gifts this year for them,” she continued. She looked up at all the racks of beautiful clothes and her eyes filled with tears. “This is such a blessing,” she said. Carrie was among numerous families that were able to “shop” at Clothes To Kids this past December. Over 800 children were provided with clothing during the busy 2006 Holiday Season. Many parents came without their children in order to provide them with a “surprise” package of CTK clothing. “This is always a fun time of year for all the volunteers,” said Cindy Braun, CTK Store Manager. “Everyone is in a festive mood and ready to help those less fortunate that walk through our doors.” In fact, one long-time volunteer, Judy Marley, even dressed up in a Santa outfit, to everyone’s delight. Many individuals and businesses in the
community showed their support by donating bags of clothing from homes and “Clothesline Projects.” East Lake Country Club donated an entire truckload filled with bags of clothing collected from their second annual Holiday Charity Clothing Drive. We also had many other donations that came in as a result of a St. Petersburg Times column appealing for warm clothes for CTK. “The success of serving so many clients in such a short period of time is a true community effort,” said Marie McClung, CTK Co-Founder. “It takes dedicated volunteers, generous donors and a passion for giving to make this mission work, and we are truly blessed to have all three.”
CTK Donor Launches Endowment
Long time CTK supporters, James and Elaine Harpham, have created a new endowment to help assure the sustainability and future of Clothes To Kids. The couple established the Clothes To Kids Endowment in December 2006 with an initial $20,000 donation and has committed to an additional donation in 2007.
Ruth Eckerd Hall Contact Fran Goodwin for more information 441-5050
Mr. Harpham took advantage of the recent IRS ruling that permits individuals who are age 70½ and older to rollover up to $100,000 per year from an IRA directly to a charity–through December 31, 2007. “I’ve worked with many charities,” began Mr. Harpham, “and I think Clothes To Kids is one of the best organized. I wanted the money to go somewhere that it would be the most beneficial.” Mr. Harpham explained that he and three other board members were part of an investment committee that would work toward increasing the size of the fund so that CTK can become more self-sufficient. “We’re very grateful for the Harpham’s generous gift,” commented Jim Lehrburger, CTK Board President. “This endowment will support Clothes to Kids’ sustainability for the long term.” Don’t let this opportunity to change so many lives pass you by.
A Letter From The Co-Founders Dear Friends,
Store Address: 1059 N. Hercules Avenue Clearwater, FL 33765 (727) 441-5050
Mailing Address: PO Box 184 Dunedin, FL 34697-0184
Website: www.clothestokids.org
Email: info@clothestokids.org
Board of Directors Jim Lehrburger- President Ray Hoopes – Past President Cheryl Abernathy – Vice President Ileane Altamura – Secretary John Bryan – Treasurer Bruce Barnes Kip Corriveau Jode Eye Paul Girouard Marie McClung Melinda Singleton Evan Weston
Community Advisory Board Ed Armstrong, Esq. Ray Bouchard Sheriff Jim Coats Maureen Freaney James A. Fulp Jim Harpham Frank Hibbard Mayor Bill Mischler Sallie Parks Jane Rutenburg Donna Sicilian Rita Wesley Clayton Wilcox
When Marie and I began dreaming about starting Clothes To Kids in August of 2002 we had a clear vision of what we wanted CTK to be: a unique store where children and parents could come and shop, with dignity, and choose a wardrobe of clothing that fit their style and personality. No milestones were ever discussed. Our objective was simply to clothe low income children, free of charge. Some of our goals were to form a board of directors, become a 501(c)(3), rent a space and start serving our clients. Over the last week we took some time to reflect and discovered that CTK has indeed hit some incredible milestones in just 4 ½ short years. Clothes To Kids opened on June 11, 2003 and gave away 13 wardrobes, serving just 3 families. Since then, over 16,700 wardrobes of clothing have been distributed to Pinellas County children, serving over 4,700 families. Our original newsletter mailing list has increased from 200 friends and family to over 3,100. We now have six working committees, manned almost entirely by volunteers that help CTK operate efficiently and effectively. Our Board of Directors has just finished up our third Long Range Strategic Planning session that will take CTK into 2007 and 2008. A Community Advisory Board has been organized and implemented to help CTK gain more credibility within the community. The cost of serving one child in 2003 was $28.00, today that cost is still only $32.00 and this includes each child receiving a jacket and pair of shoes or a shoe voucher. Clothes To Kids is able keep this cost low because of a dedicated, committed group of amazing people…our volunteers! We currently have over 100 devoted volunteers that support CTK on a consistent basis giving their time, energy, and talents all for the mission of clothing children. Although these milestones are something we are very proud of, we realize it is because of each of you that Clothes To Kids continues to grow, change and improve. We continue to be humbled each day with the wonderful people we serve and their sincere appreciation of how we are assisting their family. It is truly a privilege to be able to help others in the community in which we live. We would like to thank you all for supporting our mission as we look forward to achieving many more milestones together!
Jode and Marie
Board Member Changes
We’d like to express our heartfelt appreciation to departing Board Member, Beth Fisher. As one of the founding board members of Clothes to Kids, Beth dedicated countless hours of her time to help grow CTK into the organization it is today. Her presence on the board will be missed. Please join us in welcoming Evan Weston to our Board of Directors.
Community Advisory Board We’re grateful to our Community Advisory Board members who have agreed to be ambassadors for Clothes to Kids. Please see list of board members in the box to the left..
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Smiling Faces At The New CTK “Thank you very much for the
wonderful gift you all offer. My kids can now hold their heads up high when they are at school. It’s amazing what clothes can do to their selfconfidence. I could have never been able to afford what they received from Clothes to Kids. Thank you so much.”
“Clothes To Kids is a true blessing for me and my kids love shopping there. They are never embarrassed and they always look forward to our appointment.”
“I never thought clothing meant too much to my high school son, however after this visit he was so excited because he was able to find Hollister tops. He even told me how much he liked them and decided to wear one for picture day the next week.”
“My two oldest children have wanted the PacSun skater type shoes for years and our budget never stretched far enough for me to even consider buying them. When they saw the brand new shoes at Clothes To Kids, their eyes widened and my daughter looked at me smiling, jumping up and down saying, Mommy, look, just what I’ve wanted!”
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“This was our third visit to Clothes To Kids and the first time my youngest daughter actually got to shop. She was so excited that she was finally old enough to shop with her brother and sister that she could hardly go to sleep the night before our appointment.”
Our Circle of Friends Membership in the Circle of Friends is extended to those who pledge $3,000 or more over a 3-year period.
(August 23, 2006 - January 10, 2007)
Gift of Hope
Gift of Promise
$5,000 to $9,999
$10,000 and above
Russell Johns & Associates
Gift of Love
Connor, Mike & Roxanne Larry Brock & Associates Vosotas, Paula & Peter
$1,000 to $4,999
Blair, James & Katherine Ewing, Ms. Carol Fisher Jr., Bill & Beth Free, Carol and Harry James Gant, Ms. Nelda Hoopes, Ray & Bobbie Kratz, Judy & James McClung, Kelly & Marie McKay, Wanda & Arthur Sempermed USA Inc. Tax Shelter America Weisgerber, Ms. Jac'Line Your Auction, Inc.
Outfitters
The Outfitters listed here are those who have made a monetary donation of $500 or more since our last newsletter.
Velvet Outfitters $5,000 and above
Hand Tax Advisory Group Inc. Harpham, Jim & Elaine Hoopes, Ray & Bobbie Mr. Dry Out, Inc. Phillip Roy Financial Service, Inc. Stern, Isabel & Jeff Trinity Presbyterian Church
Supporters - $100-$499
Silk Outfitters $3,000 - $4,999 Linen Outfitters $1,000 to $2,999
Anonymous Bader, Jim & Mary Ellen Bouchard, Ray & Niki Burns, Guy Clark, Richard & Deborah Gill, Susan & Randy Allen, Joseph Hamilton, Wade & Missy Aluminum Craftsman Inc. Hand, Amy & Stephen Amin, Anita & Jay Hawkins Construction Co. Anonymous Houston, John & Katherine Bader, Jim & Mary Ellen Jack Rice Insurance Braun, Diane M. Kimball, Russell & Martha CEK LLC Kratz, Judy & James Dunn, Donald & Marian Larsen, Karen & Robert Free,Carol and Harry James Lofgren, Teresa & William Gamble, Chip & Gail Modern Business Associates Gant, Ms. Nelda Paradise Development Hercules Bulldog Smith, Robert & Patricia Heritage United Methodist Church Suncoast Land Surveying, Inc. Krauser, Peter C. 2006 Turkey Trot Mallah, Benjamin Wal*Mart Stores, Inc. Management Assistance Program, Inc. Waldrep, Rosa Miller, Ron & Kathleen White, Mary & Jim Old Harbor Bank Wiebe, Louise Raymond James Financial Williams, Kent & Jean Regulski, Lee & Jan
Denim Outfitters $500 - $999
A B Salon Interiors, Inc. Altamura, Leonard & Fay AMA Fitness Center Inc. Anderson, Bradley & Susan Armstrong, E.D. & Tara Aude, Shand & Williams, Inc. Barr, James & Wendy Bauler, Karen & Gary Becker, Frederick & Donna Bethany CME Church Birkenhauer, Debi Blackwood, Sam & Marguerite BOOS Development Group, Inc. Booth, Ms. Sigrid Brady, Joseph & Patricia Brock, Pat Clarkson, Michael & Cynthia Clearwater-St.Pete Ski Club “Snow Sharks” Collins, Suzanne & William Colonial Bank - Clearwater Conde Nast Publications Davenport, Michelle & Dale DRP Company of Alabama, Inc. Duvoisin, Ms. Debra Eye, Brian & Jode Eye, Ms. Betty Fire Ant Farm First Presby. Church Of Safety Harbor Freaney, Maureen Gabriel, Ms.Kimberly Gargola, Charles & Margaret Gerlach, John & Debbie Germuska, Michael & Katherine Gordon, Mary Jane & James Green, Fred & Merian Grein, Marie GTE Federal Credit Union Haggitt, Mr. John Hague, Ms. Carol Ham, Stephen and Tamara Hammond, James & Polly Hartung, Thomas & Katherine Hassan, Mena Haugseth, Gloria & Roy Hayslett, James & Leah Hinrichs, Nancy & Donald Hionedes, Ann & Nicholas Hirschfeld, Tabitha Jensen, W.Carl & Joann Johnson, Sheila Kampouroglou, Mr. & Mrs. Steve Kelly, Winifred A. Kemp, Laura & Larry Kendall, F. Paul Kendall, Robin & Vicci
Klar & Klar Architects, Inc. Krauser, Peter C. Leach, Bill Leddy, Jeanne Ledesma, Mr. Scott Lehrburger, Ms. Patricia Lindsey, Linda & Max Lombardo, Gail & William MacNeill Sr., George & Marian Main Street Automotive McKinnay, Kaitlan Melitta USA, Inc. Mink, C. Ray Murray, John/Jack/Rachael Nelson, Jim & Patricia Parkinson, Ms. Connie Parks, Ms. Sallie Peebles, Michael & Claudia Phillips, J. Wayne & Bridget Phipps, Jr., Kathryn & John Pinellas Rubber Stamp and Engraving Co. Pope Wayne & Shirley Price, Ms. Sue M. Rice, Cynthia Richardson, Gary & Donna Rilling, Patty & Steve Roberts, Ken & Mary Rodgers, Lenny & Bonnie Sauers, Judy Scotto Plumbing Service Shananhan, Barbara Shane, Ms. Lynn M. Sharp, Ms. Diane C. Shokat, Teresa Silverstone, Heidi & Robert Sincavage, William & Anne Smilnak, Phyllis & Michael Spaulding, J.N. Spiritual Learning Center State Farm Stavros, Mr. Mark D. Stitt, Deborah & William Sullivan, Karen & John Taylor, Michael & Debra Toscano, Alexa Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater Weisgerber, Jean Wilkinson & Sadorf, P.A. Williams, Jim & Peggy Williams, Kent & Jean Witt, Melissa & Glenn Wooten, Julie & Jamie Zaleski, Rose Zartman, John
Special Notice about New IRA Rollover Provision for Gifts to Clothes To Kids, Inc. To encourage broader giving to charitable organizations, Congress passed the Pension Protection Act of 2006, which was signed into law on August 17, 2006. The new law permits individuals who are age 70½ and older to rollover up to $100,000 per year from an IRA directly to a charity through December 31, 2007. The new IRA rollover option may provide you with the opportunity to support Clothes To Kids and other public charities with gifts from your IRA assets, while avoiding the normal tax on IRA withdrawals. (cont. page 5)
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Memorials & Honorariums August 23, 2006 - January 10, 2007
Eye, Brian & Jode h/o Ann Benford Slater Johnson, Bryan & Eva h/o Ann Benford Slater McClung, Kelly & Marie h/o Ann Benford Slater Morgan, Winnie h/o Ann Benford Slater Nall, Andy & Paula h/o Ann Benford Slater Puli, Frank & Kim h/o Ann Benford Slater Scalise, John & Yvonne h/o Ann Benford Slater Allen, Joseph h/o Phil Wasserman bday Barnes, Thomas h/o Phil Wasserman bday Collins, Suzanne & William h/o Phil Wasserman bday Halpern, Gerald & Rose h/o Phil Wasserman bday Kendall, F. Paul h/o Phil Wasserman bday Kramer, Linda & Kenneth h/o Phil Wasserman bday Loiacono, Charles & Christina h/o Phil Wasserman bday Priore, Victor h/o Phil Wasserman bday Sincavage, William & Anne h/o Phil Wasserman bday Amin, Anita & Jay h/o 20 friends in lieu of Holiday gifts Cline, Don & Rose h/o Loved Ones Fuller, Ms. Sally h/o Betty Riggs Gerlach, John & Debbie h/o Mr. & Mrs. Harold Heye Griffith, Katherine h/o Mr. & Mrs. John Moore House, Jane h/o Cheryl Abernathy Johnson, Sheila h/o Ellen Johnson & Newsletter Manche, Susan h/o Posy & Gerry Harwood’s 52 Anniv. Pearson, Tom & Carol h/o Best Buddies Bunko Group Riggs, Ms. Betty S. h/o Sally Fuller Sullivan, Linda h/o Ashley Sullivan Visalli, Arthur and Doris h/o Susan L. Allen Blair, James & Katherine m/o Bob Folwell Rippe, Allen & Marti m/o Bob Folwell Aude, Shand & Williams, Inc. m/o Eleanor Williams Blackwood, Sam & Marguerite m/o Eleanor Williams Bryan, Ed & Emily m/o Eleanor Williams Dunn, Donald & Marian m/o Eleanor Williams Eye, Brian & Jode m/o Eleanor Williams Gilkey, William & Lorraine m/o Eleanor Williams Helms, Jane m/o Eleanor Williams Lankton, Jim & Carol m/o Eleanor Williams Laurenti, Dan m/o Eleanor Williams Lee, Eleanor m/o Eleanor Williams Phillips, J.Wayne & Bridget m/o Eleanor Williams
Regulski, Lee & Jan m/o Eleanor Williams Sampson, Doris m/o Eleanor Williams Sawayda, Keith & Nancy m/o Eleanor Williams Shananhan, Barbara m/o Eleanor Williams Stannard, Polly & John m/o Eleanor Williams Eye, Brian & Jode m/o Howard Weisgerber Gill, Susan & Randy m/o Howard Weisgerber Hoopes, Ray & Bobbie m/o Howard Weisgerber Weisgerber, Jean m/o Howard Weisgerber Weisgerber, Ms. Jac’Line m/o Howard Wiesgerber Williams, Kent & Jean m/o Howard Weisgerber Conde Nast Publications m/o John Page Haggitt, Mr. John m/o John Page Hoopes, Ray & Bobbie m/o John Page Meckley, Debbie m/o John Page Silverstone, Heidi & Robert m/o John Page Martin, Joyce m/o Johnny Long Sharp, Diane C. m/o Johnny Long Abrams, Donna & Dan m/o Diane St. John Alison, William m/o Ronald N. Alison Bowlen, Colleen & Barry m/o Shirley Brogan Carroll, H.A. m/o Barbara Carroll Fortuna, Michael & Judy m/o Irene Schrell Fredette, Patricia m/o Thomas Fredette Gates, Ms. Michaela m/o Monica Klingenberger Gregg, Linda S. m/o our grandhildren Hartung, Thomas & Katherine m/o Marian Starr Head, Franklin & Betty m/o Floyd Waldrep Helwig, Dianne m/o Alice Fletcher Hoopes, Ray & Bobbie m/o Rudi Hasak McKeel, Melvin & Judith m/o Derek McKeel Mink, C. Ray m/o Ernie Thomas Murrin, Mary K. and Charles m/o Jack Gloekler Phillips, J.Wayne & Bridget m/o Paul Reifsnyder Riddle, Jean & Robert m/o Paul & Magdalen Rukas Scrimshaw, Betty & Jack m/o Clinton Ash Stannard, Polly & John m/o Col. Edmund Buck Freeman State Farm m/o Ernie Thomas Voege, Sherri & Cliff m/o Anita Kimmel Wright, Rosanna m/o Barry Lines
CTK By The Numbers Number of Wardrobes 2003 — 1,885 2004 — 2,475 2005 — 4,961 2006 — 6,564 2007 Goal — 7,500
Number of Items Distributed - 2006
Underwear — 31,932 Socks — 32,620 Shorts — 9,862 Pants — 15,700 Tops — 31,624 Skirts — 1,655 Dresses — 1,302 Shoes — 3,024 Jackets — 3,227
Number of Volunteer Hours Adult — 5,693 Youth — 2,319
Search and We Shall Receive!
Our new volunteer grant writer, Anita Amin, has found a unique way to raise money for CTK and take advantage of all that Internet searching you do. The website is called Goodsearch and anytime you do a search on the web using Goodsearch, 1 cent will be put into a CTK account. Here’s how it works: 1 Go to www.goodsearch.com. 2. In the “Who Do You Search For?” window, type in Clothes To Kids and hit “verify”. 3. Make sure that “Clothes to Kids – CTK (Clearwater, FL)” comes up as your selection. 4. Proceed with your search. At the end of the year, all the pennies will be added up and a check sent to CTK. Goodsearch is powered by Yahoo so your searches will be very comprehensive. In just a few weeks this year, we have raised over $6. That may not sound like much, but by year’s end we are hoping for at least $1,000. Every penny helps and, remember...it takes only $32 to clothe a child for one week! (Special notice - cont. from page 4)
Since you must follow specific rules in order to benefit from this rollover option, you should contact you own tax advisors to learn how the rules may affect your particular tax situation. Here’s more about how the new law works: • • • • • • • •
You must be 70½ years of age or older. Your IRA rollover gifts must be made outright to qualified charities from a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA. The transfer must go directly from your IRA to qualified charities. Gifts to donor advised funds, private foundations, and supporting organizations are not eligible. Your IRA rollover gifts cannot exceed $100,000 per year. The amount rolled over from your IRA will be excluded from your gross income. Your IRA rollover will count toward your minimum distribution requirement. There is no federal income tax deduction for the IRA rollover gift. The IRA rollover provision is effective only through December 31, 2007.
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Thank You To Our Sponsors Kohl’s Cares For Kids T
he efforts of Kohl’s ATeams are contributing to hundreds of youth charities around the country. Clothes To Kids recently became the charity of choice for our local, Clearwater Kohl’s store. In January, CTK volunteer, Martha Ondrejcak, met with Jordi Rijo, Clearwater Kohl’s Assistant Manager, to discuss a possible partnership. Jordi was immediately intrigued by the mission of CTK and spread the word among her department managers and co-workers. The A-Team – Associates in Action have made a commitment to volunteer at CTK, initially, for a 3-4 hour project. Kohl’s will then reward the team’s participation with a $500 corporate grant given directly to CTK. “We believe that caring for our friends, neighbors and families is what creates a sense of community, and Kohl’s is proud to play a positive role in each community we serve,” said Larry Montgomery, Kohl’s Chairman and CEO. Clothes To Kids looks forward to this great, new partnership.
“Love Fore” Clothes To Kids
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lothes To Kids is pleased to announce that we have been selected to be the beneficiary of Countryside Country Club’s annual “Love Fore” charity tournament for 2008. The tennis and golf tournament will be held in the spring of next year. Dating back to 1985, Countryside Country Club, its members, corporate sponsors and tournament participants have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities such as UPARC, Hospice, the Free Clinic, YMCA and Morton/Plant Mease. Clothes To Kids Board member Bruce Barnes is chairing the event. If you have an interest in volunteering on one of the tournament’s committees, please call Bruce at (727) 726-1444 or email him at bwbarnes@tampabay.rr.com.
Phillies & Threshers Team Up to Help CTK
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he 2006 season has ended, but at Clothes To Kids this December, Baseball Fever was definitely in the air. The Clearwater Threshers & Philadelphia Phillies helped CTK begin December ’06 with a bang. The two professional baseball teams donated $17,000 worth of merchandise to Clothes to Kids! The gift included jackets, sweatshirts, polos and t-shirts for both boys and girls. “This donation will brighten the lives of the many children we will serve during this holiday season,” said CTK board member Cheryl Abernathy. “This gift couldn’t have come at a better time,” she added. The children were excited to have clothes with professional team logos added to their selection. And, in providing new, warm clothing for the children Clothes to Kids serves, the Threshers and the Phillies have also won themselves some loyal new fans. Thanks so much to these generous organizations.
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New Look For Website and Newsletter
e are pleased to announce the W Clothes To Kids Website has been updated and looks terrific! Be sure to go to www.clothestokids. org and check it out. In addition to its colorful new look, the Website is now interactive. From our website, agencies have access to referral information and potential volunteers have the ability to download applications and learn more about CTK. Many thanks to Site Dynamics and The Eckerd Family Foundation for making this possible. Using the website as a guide, the Clothes To Kids marketing committee is starting to design the branding of CTK. This issue of The Clothesline is the first phase of this process. The goal is to have a fresh, colorful, consistent look for all of CTK’s marketing pieces. Be on the lookout for our new brochure coming soon!
PacSun & Rave Girl
n late October, CTK was blessed by receiving some very special gifts— a few bushels of shoes from PacSun and a full truckload of brand new girls clothing from Rave Girl. We received a large donation of over 200 pairs of Etnies shoes from PacSun. This was one of the many generous donations from PacSun since they joined us as an Apparel Partner. In addition to the shoe donation, they have given T-shirts, jewelry and various other items to CTK.
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ave, a former Apparel Partner, recently closed their Rave Girl division, and donated all of their left over merchandise to us. You can only imagine what the back room looked like with 35-40 huge bags of clothing that needed to be prepared for storage or display.
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eceiving two large donations in such a short time might be a problem for some, but not for our hardworking team of volunteers. Within a week, the dust had settled, all of the new items were in their place, and some very happy shoppers were enjoying shiny new shoes and clothes! A big thank you goes out to PacSun and Rave Girl for these generous donations. And, kudos to our wonderful volunteers. As always, we couldn’t have done it without you!
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Volunteer Highlights Outstanding Adult Volunteer W
e would like to honor Kelley Matter for her outstanding commitment to Clothes To Kids. CTK Development Assistant, Fran Goodwin, called her neighbor, Kelley, last summer to help at the store during our busy “back to school” season. Kelley said “I came to help for a day and never left. I just love it,” she added. Last summer Kelley was seen every Tuesday and Thursday assisting clients in the morning and helping to restock the store until 3:00 in the afternoon. Since then, she has continued her Tuesday commitment in the store each week but has changed her second day to taking over the Wal Mart shopping for socks and underwear…a weekly, 4-cart shopping adventure.
Clothes To Kids has become a “family affair” in the Matter household with daughter, Jenny, assisting with the weekly Wal Mart shopping. She is working hard toward completing her Bright Futures Scholarship Learning Service requirements and helping Clothes To Kids is a big part of that. Also, Kelley’s husband, John, notified Co-Founder, Marie McClung, that Clothes To Kids was chosen as the beneficiary for the 2007 Indian Bluff Island Fishing Tournament to be held in June. John has been one of the key organizers of the tournament since its inception 4 years ago. Thank you for all you do Kelley and the entire Matter family!
Around the Store
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f you haven’t had a chance to volunteer at the Clothes to Kids store, you may not realize what a warm atmosphere has developed within these walls. Our “regulars” certainly have become quite the family unit. As needs have arisen in the store, our CTK family always seems to find a way to fill those needs, or at least, add those little touches that make the store such a great place for our clients and volunteers. For instance, when Rob & Judy Marley realized we needed a new scanner/printer/fax, they donated one. Thank you both for making our job so much easier. And thanks to Katie and Rick Moore & Fellowes Corp. for our new monster shredder! Paper work was never so much fun. We’ve also acquired a beautiful new desk courtesy of Ray Hoopes & Office Products Warehouse. Thank you so much for this grand addition to our CTK lobby. Thanks also go out to Amy Hand for her generous donation toward a fireproof safe that will keep our documents and other important items free from harm.
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How about Jac’line Weisgerber who always seems to be filling needs around the store? Whether it’s new shelving for our cabinets, a fabulous new accessory display for our Junior Girls area, or a new Radio/CD player to keep our volunteers rockin’ in the stockroom, Jac’line knows how to deliver. Then there’s Bob Smith, who has been busy helping with a variety of jobs around the store: Bob was able to add additional standards in the shopping area, repair or install electrical outlets throughout the store and he even found time to pick up a huge donation from the Madeira Beach Elementary School Clothing Drive. Thanks so much Bob! One thing we are sure of here at CTK—we have been blessed with a large group of dedicated and hard-working volunteers. For each one mentioned above, there are countless others whose generosity of time or pocket book have helped CTK in so many ways. We are so grateful.
Becoming a Clothes To Kids Volunteer
lothes To Kids needs your time, enthusiasm and expertise to keep our organization running. Adult and youth volunteers are an essential component in allowing us to provide clothing to children in our community. To become a CTK volunteer, simply stop in at the store to fill out a volunteer registration form, or download it online at www.clothestokids.org under the volunteer button. Turn the form into the Store Manager and she’ll let you know when the next volunteer orientation is and schedule you to volunteer! It’s that easy! The opportunities are many and vary from working with clients, sorting clothes and restocking to working on a committee and helping with special events or projects. For more information, call the CTK store manager, Cindy Braun at 441-5050
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Youth Spotlight
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t Clothes to Kids, we depend on our volunteers to keep things running smoothly. But, it’s not just the adults who get into the act. Our many youth volunteers make a huge impact with all of the time they put in. We’re lucky to count a young man named Leo Shane as one of our dedicated Youth Volunteers. Since September of 2006, Leo has been involved in a community service project as he prepares to become a Bar Mitzvah this summer. His efforts with Clothes To Kids have focused on collecting new sock and underwear donations. Leo even comes in to shelve and organize his donations. So far, Leo has collected nearly 150 new underwear and over 200 new pairs of socks. “It’s a pretty great feeling,” said Leo, “I just want to help as many kids as I can.” It seems the rest of the Shane family loves helping out at CTK, too. His sisters, Rebecca and Samantha, are regular volunteers at the store. Samantha commented, “I love helping out at the store. My sister and I always have a blast!” Thanks so much to the Shanes for all they do. We’d also like to recognize the Good Samaritan Youth Group which visited Clothes To Kids one Sunday this January. This group of 13 youth volunteers, led by Kristin Schmitt, Katie Moore, Kathy Howdeshell, and Valerie Boehme, spent the afternoon restocking, straightening and cleaning our store. Thanks for making Clothes To Kids sparkle!
Wish List
We exist only because of the support of our generous donors. The following are just a few examples of our current needs:
Clothing
Real Girlz Pants Boys Pants Boys Tops Young Men’s Pants Young Men’s Jackets Girls Pants Junior Tops Junior Pants
Supplies
Sizes 13, 14, 15, & up All Sizes Large & X-Large Size 32 & Up Large & X-Large 5,6,7,8,14 Medium, Lg, & X-Lg Sizes 0,1, 13, & Up
Paper towels, multi-purpose printer paper, postage stamps, lightweight folding tables, matching chairs for the lobby, trash bags.
Volunteers:
CTK Shoppers, Afternoon Receptionist, Afternoon Restockers, Morning Help With Clients
Newsletter editor: Shari Girouard Designer: Angela Hawkins
Clothes To Kids, Inc A Non-Profit Organization
P.O. Box 184 Dunedin, Florida 34697-0184
Printing Supplied By: duPont Publishing Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Tampa, FL Permit No 7061
“A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.”