Panther Bank continues to donate sneakers
Panther Community Bank, N.A. has donated a new pair of sneakers to a Lehigh school child for every new account relationship opened at the bank. These children had been barred from playing outside at recess or taking part in physical education for lack of a simple pair of sneakers.
Panther Community Bank adopted Laces of Love as its official charity in 2007 before the bank even opened for business. This expanded Laces of Love, from its Naples headquarters to Lehigh Acres.
The Bank sponsored the Donny & Jeff Charitable Golf Tournament last February with proceeds benefiting Lehigh Laces of Love.
In addition, they held several sneaker parties, and ran an August Back-to-School Sneaker Drive. In 2008, the bank donated 806 pairs of new sneakers through school guidance counselors in Lehigh schools. For the first half of 2009, 208 sneakers have been donated.
Laces of Love provides new shoes (preferably sneakers) to low income and disadvantaged children in Lee and Collier counties, and educates the public on the needs of these children.
“As the economy struggles in 2009, the need is more pronounced. It breaks our hearts to think of kids left behind in the classroom. And it warms our hearts when a child gets, what is often, their very first pair of new shoes. We can’t give up on these kids, so we will continue to donate a new pair of sneakers for every new relationship opened at Panther Community Bank. We think it means more to our neighbors and customers than receiving a beach blanket or cooler” said Karen R. Makowski, president and CEO. Customers sign tags on the shoes which are donated in honor of new clients.
Jeanne Nealon, Laces of Love founder, has been in contact with local schools.
So far this year, Makowski said the bank has worked with Harns Marsh Elementary, Veterans Park Academy, East Lee County High, Lehigh Acres Middle, Mirror Lakes Elementary, Varsity Lakes Middle, Sunshine Elementary, Treeline Elementary, and Alva Elementary.
You can help too by purchasing a pair of sneakers for boys and girls, (sizes youth 12 adult 11) to drop off at Panther Community Bank (50 Joel Blvd.). Or you could sponsor a sneaker drive though your organization, host a sneaker party as one of your events, or make a monetary donation, of which 100 percent goes to purchase sneakers. The bank plans a back-to-school sneaker drive later this month.