Local Donations Help Rotary District 6040 Shoe Drive Surpass 25,000-Pair Goal

By Echo Menges

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — The Rotary District 6040 Shoes Caravan made a stop in Kirksville in April as part of a weeklong effort marking the 25th anniversary of the Shoes for Orphan Souls project, which this year surpassed a major milestone.

The caravan, which travels between communities collecting donated footwear, brought together multiple Rotary clubs from across the northern tier of Missouri, encompassing Rotary District 6040, which includes the Knox County Rotary Club.

The initiative provides new shoes to orphaned and vulnerable children worldwide.

Local participation extends beyond Rotary membership, with Knox County residents contributing to the effort each year through donations. Organizers emphasize that even a single pair of shoes can make a meaningful difference, helping remove barriers to education, improve health and provide basic necessities for children in need.

During the district’s annual conference, held April 24-25 at Rotary Youth Camp in Lee’s Summit, Rotary leaders announced the campaign collected nearly 29,500 pairs of shoes this year — exceeding the 25,000- pair goal and bringing the program to nearly 480,000 pairs collected in Missouri over 25 years.

“I didn’t know for sure whether we would make 25,000 pairs,” said Larry A. Lunsford of the Rotary Club of Kansas City- Plaza, who has been selected to serve as Rotary International president for 2027- 28. “At some level, it does not shock me that we got 29,000 pairs because you can never underestimate the capacity of Rotarians. It’s my privilege to be your shoes cheerleader, and as long as you are in, I am in.”

Lunsford has played a key role in developing and promoting the program over the lifetime of District 6040’s participation.

Rotary District 6040 Gov. Jodi Sundaram of Liberty also took part in the effort. Sundaram visited the Knox County Rotary Club during its regular lunchtime meeting Thursday, April 9, at the Knox County R-1 School District boardroom, where she gave a presentation ahead of the caravan’s arrival and shared her own Rotary story.

Knox County Rotary Club past president Dr. Lisa Bosch delivered locally collected shoes to the Kirksville stop, representing the community’s contributions to the districtwide effort. In total, Knox County contributed 28 pairs of shoes and $770 toward the purchase of additional footwear.

The caravan included scheduled stops across northern Missouri communities, where Rotary members gathered to load collected shoes onto a semitrailer, take part in group celebrations and promote the effort locally.

Each year, the annual shoe drive concludes during the district conference, where Rotary clubs announce their collections during the “Shoes Roll Call.”

The achievement of reaching nearly 480,000 pairs of new shoes for children in need is a feather in the cap of Lunsford, who has championed the mission throughout his tenure as a Rotarian, and will carry with him to his coming roll as the leader of the worldwide service driven organization.

The Shoes for Orphan Souls project works in partnership with Buckner International, a nonprofit organization that distributes footwear to children in need around the world.

The Knox County Rotary Club is already collecting shoes toward next year’s drive. Over the years, families have gone shopping for a child in need together, bargain hunters have stocked up when shoes go on clearance, and children have even donated shoes they received for birthdays or holidays.

New shoes, new socks, new shoelaces and monetary donations are accepted. Contact any Knox County Rotary Club member to learn more or to give toward next year’s mission.