SOLANA BEACH -— About 40 youngsters descended upon the Solana Beach Marshalls on Feb. 12 for a shoe shopping extravaganza as part of the Assistance League of Rancho San Dieguito’s Operation School Bell Clothing Children.
The organization was granted $3,000 from the city’s annual Community Grants Program with the condition that the money be spent in Solana Beach.
Board members reached out to Marshalls to set up two shopping dates — another one is planned for Feb. 19 — for mostly 3- to 5-year-olds enrolled in the St. Leo’s Head Start program.
Each of the 80 youngsters can spend up to $30 to buy shoes. For some it is their first new pair. Popular choices were anything in pink, those with sparkles and ones that light up.
“This company is all about neighborhood choice,” store manager Carmen McDade said.
“When they brought up that it was going to be about kids it was terrific. We were more than willing to participate.
“My personal motto is to give back so I was glad we could do this as a store as well,” she added. “But we were just the shell. The Assistance League did all the work.”
