Products, funds help women and girls through The Care Store, Clothing INC
The second annual Kay’s Way’s fundraiser and supply drive to collect items for women and girls of Isabella County raised $12,000 in May, a 58% increase from the inaugural campaign.
From left to right, Brian Chapman from Clothing INC, Mark Smith, Krapohl Ford & Lincoln co-owner and general manager, Jennifer Reinhardt, Erika Ross, Ramie Harrison, Linda Coyne, Leah Rau, Shannon Vautrin Browne, Maureen Starry — all from the Women’s Initiative — Julia Eigenbrood, the executive director at The Care Store and Paula Arndt from co-sponsor Weichert Realtors/Broadway Realty.
Kay’s Way, conducted by the Women’s Initiative and sponsored by Krapohl Ford & Lincoln and supported by Weichert Realtors/Broadway Realty, collected supplies for The Care Store and Clothing INC. Both organizations will distribute the donated items from their locations in the Strickler Nonprofit Center on High Street. All monetary donations will fund additional supplies.
“The products donated through Kay’s Way will help us for several months,” said Julia Eigenbrood, executive director of the Care Store. “All of the products we have in the Care Store are donated or purchased through financial donations. We need that help, that support. The Women’s Initiative and Krapohl Ford are just amazing how they help do that for us.”
Bryan Chapman of Clothing INC said the Kay’s Way drive provides key items that often do not come through regular donations.
“The Kay’s Way drive provides items we know we’re going to use — clean socks, underwear, bras — because the Women’s Initiative asked what we needed, and then they worked to get those things,” Chapman said.
Kay’s Way is named for Kay Krapohl Smith, daughter of Bob Krapohl, who founded Krapohl Ford & Lincoln with his brother, Harold. Kay could be found working behind the scenes at Krapohl, raising her family and volunteering. She co-founded the Women’s Initiative 19 years ago, establishing it as an endowed fund of the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation.
When Kay passed away in 2008 at age 67, her obituary listed more than 20 volunteer organizations she had served, mostly in leadership roles. She was the Mt. Pleasant Citizen of the Year in 2006.
Krapohl Ford & Lincoln played host to an oil change fundraiser for Kay’s Way on May 18. All proceeds from oil changes went to the drive, and the event raised $4,133.
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