Zerbe Bros. Sharing Love, Shoes

This Christmas season, Zerbe Bros. is asking the community to consider adding one more gift to their list. There won’t be any need for more shopping though. Owner Galen Zerbe, at the suggestion of his bookkeeper McKenzie Kalinski, set up a drop-off container at his business for Provision International’s Share A Pair program.

The Billings-based mission group collects used shoes to send overseas for people of all ages, as part of their evangelizing work. “My heart is for mission work,” Zerbe told the Courier. He expressed deep admiration for the work of his friend, Lance Lanning. “He does all the rest. The hard work is getting them boxed and delivered with the gospel,” he explained, saying Zerbe Bros. was simply a conduit for the good work of the missionary.

“Feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, and loving. That’s the purpose of Provision International,” Zerbe said. Zerbe agreed to become a drop-off location for shoes when Kalinski approached him after reading about the program in a church newsletter. “I just thought, ‘Wow! That’s pretty cool that I have bookkeepers who read the same newsletters that I do.’ They brought it up,” he said.

Kalinski was reluctant to take credit for the idea, “Galen supports missionary work and we wanted to get involved.” She explained that the business was an ideal place for collection and delivery, “We have people going back and forth to Billings all the time who can get the shoes to Lance there.”

The idea for the Share A Pair program came when Lanning was on a mission trip to El Salvador in 2012. While helping construct a school, a barefoot child playing on the construction site stepped on a piece of rebar, which required a trip to the hospital. Upon returning home, Lanning took note of how many shoes he and his family had. The idea to start a shoe drive was born.

Zerbe recounted the story and added that Provision International is so much more than that, also collecting old hospital beds and school desks that find new homes overseas. “We are just trying to help him to help these other countries,” he said of his collection work. “And people opening their hearts at Christmas, it’s the time to share the gospel. This is all about Provision International and the gospel and a used pair of shoes, to go share about Jesus Christ.”

Brooklyn Schultz, bookkeeper at Zerbe Bros., told the Courier the shoe drive will run through Jan. 31, 2020. People are encouraged to take time after the holidays to see what they might be able to donate. A press release noted shoes do not need to be new, but they do need to be in usable condition.

“It’s a good feeling to give something away that has value to a family that needs it,” Zerbe said. “This is one way I can help in Glasgow, Montana.”

Zerbe Brothers is located at 54321 US-2, Glasgow and can be reached at 228-4311.