Clothe-a-Child proves a joy for shoppers too

“I get more out of this than the kids, I think,” jokes Terry Cline as she waits with Melissa Mohner for the children they’ll be shopping for to arrive at Great Lakes Mall in Mentor.

The two are coworkers at Neundorfer, a Willoughby plant that manufactures air pollution control equipment. They are taking part in the Clothe-A-Child program, which is sponsored by The News-Herald.

The charity provides funding and pairs volunteers with children in need to help purchase clothing and shoes.

“I’ve been wanting to do it for many years,” explained Cline, who works as an account manager for Neundorfer. “Finally, about five years ago I started and I’ve loved it ever since.”

The company’s involvement with Clothe-a-Child started with an email Cline sent out asking if anyone else at Neundorfer would be interested in participating with the charity. It’s since become a tradition.

“Every year it’s a different number of people who goes because a lot of our people travel a lot,” Cline said. “For the most part, we usually have at least four to six of us shopping every year.”

When asked what brings her back every year, she doesn’t reflect for long.

“It’s just so much fun to go shopping with the kids,” Cline said. “They start off kind of shy and quiet and you end up best friends. Sometimes you get sorry you have to give them back to the parents.”

“Kids are just the best versions of themselves,” adds Mohner, a mechanical engineer at Neundorfer who will also be shopping for a child. “It’s fun to hang out with kids when they open up and become comfortable. It’s fun to see them having fun with it as well.”

Cline said that she wished she had partnered with the charity sooner but originally thought the process would be complicated or lengthy.

“It’s so easy. You just email Clothe-a-Child and they email you back right away and give you the form to fill out. You pick a day and you’re started, easy as that.”

“They start off kind of shy and quiet and you end up best friends. Sometimes you get sorry you have to give them back to the parents.” — Terry Cline