New Lisbon bank sprouts shoes for students

Instead of a sharing tree for collecting winter clothing, the New Lisbon M&I Bank branch office has sprouted a shoe tree this summer.

Christina Krotzman, customer service representative said, "The bank is doing a community service called Shoes for School."

She said the bank is purchasing new shoes or boots for youth in the New Lisbon School District.

She said, "We are asking residents to help by donating new shoes or funds for the project."

She said the shoes will be collected until Aug. 25 and delivered to the New Lisbon schools. Merikay Willer, school nurse, and Denise Fleming, teacher, will distribute them to students in need.

Fleming agreed that good footwear is greatly needed. She said there are a lot of students who do not have decent shoes as she has purchased them in the past to give to youth who were unable to afford them.

Jill Dahlke, customer service representative supervisor, said, "Every year we do a different community service, and this is the first time we have done shoes."

She said the goal is to provide 100 pairs of shoes.

People have several options to help; they can take a paper shoe from the tree with a child's size and gender listed on it, shop and return the new shoes to M&I Bank, located at 129 E. Bridge St., donate cash or purchase a paper shoe for $1 each.

The latter will be hung up in the bank with the donor's name on it.