Woman’s Club Steps into April with Laces of Love

Naples Lakes Country Club was laced with love on April 1st as the Marco Island Woman’s Club (MIWC) showed their support for Laces of Love, a non-profit organization that provides new shoes and socks to children in need in Collier and Lee Counties. There were no April Fool’s Day pranks, but there were smiles galore as the ladies of MIWC donated a collection of over eighty shoes for this cause. A delicious meal and Easter basket centerpieces created by MIWC members Cyndi Bixler and Terri Halpern added to the splendor of this wonderful occasion.

MIWC President Sue Purvis welcomed the crowd, while Shirley Thayer led us in the Pledge of Allegiance and a musical rendition of God Bless America. Anita Drake delivered an invocation of gratitude that set the theme for this beautiful springtime event.

Jeanne Nealon, President and Co-founder of Laces of Love, gave an outstanding presentation of the heartwarming mission of this amazing organization. Nealon is known to many simply as “The Shoe Lady.” That nickname is a designation of honor. This remarkable lady graduated from Notre Dame College of Ohio and began her career in teaching at Bonita Springs Middle School. In 1994, she was named Teacher of the Year for Collier County Schools and is a Golden Apple Award recipient. She enjoyed teaching language arts and directing school plays, but one day her life took on new meaning when she drove a student to his home in a migrant camp. She noticed that his shoes were filled with holes. The student explained that he shared those shoes with his brother. The shoes barely even had a sole. That’s when Nealon’s beautiful soul kicked in to make a real difference for her students. Through her inspiration and the help of others, Laces of Love was born! The organization has provided new shoes for over 350,000 children in Collier and Lee Counties for the past twenty years. Jeanne Nealon presently spends much of her time writing, speaking, and gathering shoes for kids in need. She has even written a book titled “Laces of Love,” with all proceeds going directly to the charity. MIWC is grateful for the opportunity to help this most noble cause. To learn more about Laces of Love, please visit https://lacesoflove.org.

In other MIWC news, the club is busily preparing for upcoming volunteer opportunities, including Little Pink Houses of Hope and Camp Able. Our May luncheon will be the culmination of our efforts this year as we honor our scholarship recipients and install our new Executive Board.

MIWC has proudly served our community for sixty years. We have provided scholarships for students living on Marco Island, supported local charities, and touched the lives of many by making our community a better place for all. In November, we will celebrate these accomplishments with our Marco Island Woman’s Club Sixtieth Anniversary Diamond Jubilee. Stay tuned for details!

In the meantime, we would love to welcome you to our club! In addition to our volunteerism, we have book clubs, a travel group (with recent excursions to Cape Canaveral and Tarpon Springs), cards and games, a theater group, a stitching club, and so much more! If you are a woman living on Marco Island or Goodland, full-time or seasonal, whether you own or rent, please join us! To learn more, please visit https://marcowomansclub.com.