Free rain boots go to 1,000 Polish school children facing months of muddy building site

Free rain boots for 1,000 Polish kids facing mud

WARSAW, Poland — Hundreds of Polish school kids are getting a leg up with free rubber boots as they face months next to a muddy construction site.

Officials in the town of Jarocin gave 1,000 pairs of made-to-fit boots to children and teachers whose school is set in an area where new underground water and sewage pipes are being installed.

On Friday the children received their boots, which came in different colors and styles — including army green camouflage patterns for boys and bright pink versions for girls.

Jerzy Wolski, the town official in charge of water systems, said the city persuaded the construction company to pay 20,000 zloty ($7,000) for the shoes, noting it is just a fraction of the project’s 40 million zloty ($14 million) price tag.

He said the boots are meant “to give the children some joy and make their lives easier” as the road work continues until August.

(This version CORRECTS SUBS headlines to correct that there are 1,000 pairs of boots not 1,000 boots.)