Boardman Community Foundation starts third annual Operation Warm Feet campaign

Staff report

BOARDMAN

In the cold winter months in Northeast Ohio, it’s unthinkable that some children wouldn’t have the necessary clothes to shield themselves from the harsh weather.

Mark Luke, treasurer of the Boardman Community Foundation, wants to make sure that reality is less likely with the foundation’s third annual Operation Warm Feet campaign.

“The concept is, and what we want to think about is, to pay things forward,” he said. “The things that we have been blessed with, we want to give to others.”

The campaign is carried out by the nonprofit foundation for its primary goal of creating a charitable endowment to enhance the quality of life for township residents, Luke said.

The campaign gathers children’s boots from area drop-off locations. The boots are then donated to school-based locations now through Dec. 31 with all sizes and colors accepted.

The foundation had a kick-off event Saturday at the Boardman Library, where a fair amount of donations were made, Luke said. He knows, however, they can get even more boots in the coming weeks.

The foundation has three drop-off locations this year: the Boardman Library Branch, 7680 Glenwood Ave.; Shepherd Self Storage, 7469 South Ave.; and the Boardman Township Park office building, 375 Boardman-Poland Road.