Rotary Club honors woman who funded Kids Closet
On the anniversary of its founding on March 2, 2006, the Bryant Rotary Club celebrated the woman who helped make its current Kids Closet possible.
“It has always been about kids,” said board member
Emil Woerner, speaking of the Clubs’ mission.
Woerner, pastor of Friends in Christ Lutheran Church, said he met Bettye Tucker when he was going to Fox Ridge Senior Living to provide worship services for the residents.
He had been part of Rotary since 2011. His church had been looking to get involved with a cause when they heard about a 5K to raise money for the Kids Closet, which at the time was a small space. It started out as an actual closet
at founder Michelle Finney’s workplace. The church got involved in raising funds and Woerner joined the Club.
He went with Finney to the closet, which was housed in a storage area at First Security Bank. He described it as a small space piled with clothing and bags. There was not enough room to organize.
When he returned to his office, he started thinking what could they do to make the closet more usable. He sketched an idea for the closet.
He spoke to Finney and said the church had land. They could put in a building.
The problem was neither the church or Club had any money.
One day after service at Fox Ridge, Tucker told Woerner she wanted to give something for the church. She wrote a check for $10,000.
He reached out to Tucker’s family to make sure it was OK to accept the funds. They gave their blessing.
Woerner said he knew the money had to go to a building for the closet.
That money, plus a bit more, constructed the original 24-foot-by-30-foot building.
“It was a good start for us,” he said.
Church member Marty Shaw built the building.
Woerner joked he thought at the time they would never need more room.
He said when people do things for the community, God gives them more. The closet has grown over the years.
“It has grown from that little closet with bags of miscellaneous items to serving thousands of kids,” he said.
Pat Baker, who organizes and runs the closet
for the Club, estimated it served 4,000 children last year in Saline County, as well as, through sending items to a Native American reservation.
Tucker’s gift was a perfectly timed blessing. First Security needed its space back. Woerner believes without Tucker, the closet would have not survived.
“She is looking down from heaven and seeing what we have been able to accomplish with the seed she planted,” he said.
Her son, Billy, accepted a plaque, which he and Baker placed on the wall of the closet, in honor of Tucker.
“She would be very pleased, very proud,” Billy said.
He was grateful for Woerner checking with the family before spending the money all those years ago.
The closet provides clothing for children in need in Saline County. The Club partners with schools and other organizations to reach out to families to help their children.
The Bryant Rotary Rubber Duck Derby is the annual event that raises money for the Closet. Through that event, the Club was able to expand the closet in 2019 to triple its previous size.
Now the closet can provide baby items along with children’s items. Recently, the closet has added mattresses and other items to meet needs for area children.
Tucker’s family was able to take a tour of the renovated closet to see her legacy.