BRYANT — “Service Above Self” is the motto for Rotary International.
One of the ways members of the Rotary Club of Bryant carry out that motto is through its Kids Closet.
The Bryant Rotary Club Kids Closet provides clothing and other essential items — free of charge — to children in times of need.
“I got into Rotary because of the Kids Closet,” said Emil Woerner, pastor of Friends in Christ Lutheran Church in Bryant and incoming president of the Bryant Rotary Club (He begins his term in office in July.). He said he decided to join the local club when he heard about this service project.
“It breaks my heart when I hear somebody say, ‘I wish I knew this was available,’” Woerner told members of the Bryant Chamber of Commerce who had gathered with the Rotarians at the local church for the Chamber’s Highlight Bryant Luncheon and to learn more about the Kids Closet. Woerner encouraged the Chamber members to go back into the community and let others know about the Kids Closet, which is located on the Friends in Christ Lutheran Church campus.
“We have shoes, socks, underwear, blue jeans, shirts, jackets and coats for needy children,” he said. “It’s all free.”
Woerner said the program, which also provides backpacks for the children, works on a referral basis.
“We get the names of those in need from a number of agencies — school counselors, the local Boys and Girls Club, local churches — and by word-of-mouth,” he said. “We also help when there is a house fire.”
Woerner said the Kids Closet was started in 2008.
“Michelle Finney (a past president of the Bryant Rotary Club) was the main leader in the early days,” Woerner said. “It was literally in a closet in her office.
“It then expanded to First Security Bank,” he said. “However, the Kids Closet continued to expand. Space was tight and it was difficult to keep it organized. After-hours accessibility was also difficult.
“I began to think what our church might have to offer and made a proposal to the Rotary Club to move the Kids Closet here,” Woerner said. He said through the generosity of the late Bettye Tucker, whom he had met while visiting residents at Fox Ridge Living of Bryant, the Kids Closet now has a new building that is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“We have a lot more space,” Woerner said. “It’s easy to get to, easy to get in and out of. And last summer, we added a storage trailer just for the shoes.”
The Kids Closet officially moved to the Friends in Christ Lutheran Church in 2012.
Woerner said the Rotary Club holds a variety of fundraisers to support the Kids Closet.
“We try to give new clothing,” he said. “We try not to give hand-me-downs.
“We want to give new clothing,” he said. “Giving them (the kids) dignity is a big part of what we do. We want them to be outfitted so they will have dignity, so they will look good at school and when they associate with their friends.”
Woerner said one “beauty” of the Kids Closet program is “there is no red tape.”
“We bring them in, give them what they need, anytime, day or night, no questions asked,” he said.
Woerner said the Kids Closet serves more than 300 kids a year.
“We want to spread the word,” Woerner told the audience. “We want to get the word out that this is available to children in need, so these kids don’t go without when we have the resources to help them.
“We want to engage the local community, businesses and families in supporting the Kids Closet,” he said. “All of the fundraisers of the Bryant Rotary Club go to support this.”
Woerner encouraged those in the audience to take a “collection basket” and fill it up with needed items. Among the labeled baskets were “Sock It to Me,” “Walk a Mile in My Shoes,” “Jeans for Teens” and “Coats of Many Colors.”
Woerner urged the businessmen and businesswomen to support the Kids Closet in a variety of other ways as well — initiate a Boy Scout/Girl Scout group project, a Sunday school group project, a book club project, an office early Christmas party such as “Jeans in July,” an office-sponsored party for a “Back to School” shoe drive or a teen group event “Sock Hop.”
“You will be doing a wonderful service,” he said. “You will be giving kids hope … dignity.
“You will be following in our Lord’s commandment — ‘I was naked and you clothed me … And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25:36-40, English Standard Version, The Holy Bible).”
Financial donations to the Kids Closet are welcome as well.
For more information on the Bryant Rotary Club Kids Closet project, call Woerner at (501) 749-4574.
The Bryant Rotary Club meets at 11:45 a.m. every Thursday at Luigi’s Pizza and Pasta in Bryant. More information is available at the website, www.bryantrotary.com.