Great Falls Optimist Club

Great Falls Optimist Club Contributes $500 to Operation Popsicle Toes, Helping Provide Winter Shoes to 200 Local Children

The Great Falls Optimist Club participated in the first ever Operation Popsicle Toes, which was started this holiday season by Dranesville Supervisor Joan DuBois to provide much-needed winter shoes to 200 local children. DuBois’ office was alerted by an elementary school principal to the fact that many children in the district did not have warm shoes for the winter, or were making due with shoes that were too large or too small. In response to a call for donations of shoes or funds, the Great Falls Optimist Club contributed $500 to the effort.

Herndon Council for the Arts Board of Directors was another major contributor. The organizations were joined by dozens of individuals who made contributions or donated new shoes.

 “Optimists Clubs are all about helping children,” said T.R. Cook, President of the Great Falls organization. “We were delighted to be able to have such an immediate and helpful impact on so many local children. With all the cold weather we’ve had lately, I imagine these shoes were greatly appreciated.”

 “The program was well-received,” noted Casey Hanes of Supervisor DBois’ office. “The principals and the schools staffs were delighted, so we may be doing this again next winter.” 

Operation Popsicle Toes delivered over 85 pairs of new shoes and gift certificates for over 100 additional pairs to four area schools serving students in McLean, Herndon and Falls Church. The counselors at Hutchinson, Clearview, Westgate and Lemon Road Elementary Schools provided information about the sizes needed, then helped distribute the shoes. In some cases, counselors took the children shoe shopping or used the gift certificates to purchase the appropriate shoes themselves.

 “If Supervisor DuBois decides to hold another Operation Popsicle Toes next winter, the Great Falls Optimist Club will certainly do as much as we can to support it. Maybe they should call it ‘Operation Toasty Toes’ though, since the goal is to make sure no one has to endure cold feet!,” Cook laughed.

Supervisor Joan DuBois presents a check from Operation Popsicle Toes to Principal Judy Baldwin of Hutchison Elementary School. They are surrounded by donations of new shoes which were distributed to 200 children at four elementary schools in the district in time for this winter’s cold weather.