Fulfilling back-to-school needs

Two different programs are helping area children fill their needs for the upcoming school year.

On Friday, a backpack drive took place at Hy-Vee Foods in Owatonna. And on Saturday the focus switched to shoes at Owatonna Shoe. Both programs will help students in need have new backpacks and shoes as they head back to school in a few weeks.

Dave Strand, an agent with Farmers Insurance, coordinated the fourth annual backpack program. Under Strand’s guidance, the Owatonna Truck Club teamed up with Community Pathways to fill the back end of a van parked out front of Hy-Vee. Within five hours, they collected around 40 backpacks, along with various school supplies totaling $2,000. They also received cash donations, which were still being tallied up when this edition went to press. The cash will be used to purchase additional backpacks.

Strand came up with the idea in the spring of 2021 when he reached out to Community Pathways to see how his truck club could help. At the time, he learned Community Pathways is typically short on school supplies, specifically backpacks.

“I have a big emphasis on youth getting educated properly because it creates a better society,” said Strand.

With the supplies gathered this year, Strand expects Community Pathways will be stocked for most of the upcoming school year.

“It always brings a smile to my face,” Strand says of the drive. “People are always thanking me, but I tell them they are the ones to be thanked (for donating). I’m just the central guy that organizes it.”

Added Strand, “I do it as a passion. I plan to do the same thing next year. The more students we can help, the better off we are.”

Anyone in need of school supplies is encouraged to reach out to Matt McLaughlin, coordinator of Unique Finds at Community Pathways.

Meanwhile, 31 children stormed Owatonna Shoe on Saturday morning to pick out new shoes for the coming school year as part of the first ever free shoe program coordinated by the Salvation Army and United Way of Steele County. It was all part of a $5,000 grant, according to Sarah Chandler, a volunteer with Salvation Army. Children in grades K-6 were allowed to participate in the program.

Chandler said the experience brought her to tears. A 5-year-old foster child came into the store for what was the girl’s first time of ever having a brand-new pair of shoes. “That one actually made me cry. She was so precious and was so excited,” she said.

She shared another story of how a child needed shoes so badly that their toe was poking through the old pair they were wearing.

Owatonna Shoe provided a discount for the shoes, leaving parents to have to pay as little as $20 for name brand shoes, Chandler said. “There was a discount on top of the sale price to get it as close to free as possible for families. We helped them find nice quality shoes,” she added.

Each child was sized and allowed to pick out a shoe of their choice. Staff at Owatonna Shoe inspected their findings to make sure the shoe was a proper fit. After picking out a new pair, most of the children left the store wearing their new finds.

Chandler is confident new shoes will help kids do better in school. “When your feet hurt, it makes it hard to concentrate,” she said. “I think it would be hard to focus with toes poking out of your shoes.”

She hopes to continue the shoe program again next year and would like to see as many as 100 kids involved.