Fund closure reflects lack of appreciation

In 1935, someone in Elgin was kind enough to start a shoe fund for needy people. In 1935, my family of 13 children moved to Illinois from Minnesota.

My siblings and I many times had holes in our shoes. I remember my mother telling us she did not have enough money to have them re-soled, so she put cardboard in them and told us not to put our feet back when we went to Holy Communion so others would not see the holes.

So instead of saying a prayer or making a good act of contrition, we would be saying "don't put your feet back, don't put your feet back."

I am sure my dad knew about this fund, but I think if any of us would have told him we could get shoes from this organization, he would have told us there were other kids who needed them more.

He also told all of us never take anything for nothing, but always work for everything you want. You will take better care of it and you will appreciate it more.

To think some ungrateful people had the nerve to demand a certain type of shoe, and a certain place to get them. (The fund has been closed as a result). This has been going on for some time. Those greedy people have themselves to thank that some very poor person who would have been very happy with any shoes at all won't get them now.

Gertrude Rotundo

Elgin