Are you kidding me? You have over 3,800 pairs of shoes??

Are you kidding me? You have over 3,800 pairs of shoes??

Well, yes as a matter of fact we do and on December the 19th we will be dropping off over 3,800 pairs of shoes to the Atlanta Mission as a part of our Shoes For The Souls community service project my youngest daughter McClain started back in 2009.

2011 at the Atlanta Mission

Back in 2009 my daughter McClain who was 8 at the time was out playing basketball in the driveway of our home in the Hamilton Mill subdivision located in Dacula, GA. while I was reading a tennis magazine. One of the articles in the magazine was proudly toting how a large tennis shoe manufacturer was collecting shoes at local tennis shops and then once collected recycling the soles of the shoes and turning them into new tennis shoes. I pulled McClain aside and talked with her about this and I asked her what her thoughts were. I explained to her that I thought it was cool that they did this but what use could all those shoes possibly do for others. What came about from our conversation was the idea to collect shoes ourselves and give them to those who were less fortunate than others. McClain jumped at the chance to help so we did some research and came up with the plan to collect the shoes and then donate them to the Atlanta Mission which serves the areas homeless.

That first year, with a lot of support from our friends, family and subdivision we were able to collect 365 pairs of shoes. We took them to the Mission and to watch McClain so proudly help me unload them from our borrowed pick up truck was one of those once in a lifetime moments. She was so proud of herself and the staff took us on a great tour of My Sisters House, one of the Missions locations.

In 2010, we set out to surpass our 2009 total and came up with a crazy idea that if we were to collect 1,000 pairs I would let McClain shave my head. I knew there was no way we could get to that number but a month or so later I was sitting in a barber chair getting my head shaved! We had received 1,598 pairs of shoes and after having to rent a delivery truck we headed to the Atlanta Mission loaded with shoes. We got a tour of one of the Shepherd's Inn located in downtown Atlanta near the Georgia Aquarium. McClain was amazed at how many people were served there and we both were really moved at the sleeping arrangements at the Mission.

2011 brought another year and another unrealistic goal of 2,000 pairs of shoes. I was smart enough not to make a bet again and we started collecting another round of shoes. This time however we were able to not only get our neighborhood involved but a number of local schools in Gwinnett County along with a few churches in the area decided to jump on board. Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church in Dacula asked us if we would come speak to their pre-school classes and for the month of September the schools service project was to collect shoes and bring them to church for us. We were asked to speak at other churches, pre-schools and elementary schools and the outpouring of help was amazing.

During McClain's speaking engagement at the Hamilton Mill United Methodist Church (HMUMC) school there were a number of little four and five year olds that actually took their shoes off during the presentation and wanted to give them to us at that time. It was so awesome to watch these children spontaneously do this and even more fun to watch the teachers scurry over to the kids and tell them that they needed to go home with shoes on their feet.

We started to collect so many shoes that our basement would not hold them and HMUMC donated a storage unit they had for us to store them in while we collected. After another rental truck was loaded down, we headed to the Mission once again but this time, not only did we break 2,000 pairs but we ended up with 3,338 pairs. At the Mission, we were greeted by truly grateful men who adored McClain and made us feel so welcome. These men were so gentle and kind to McClain and showed a huge outpouring of love and gratitude towards us. It was a awesome site to watch bag after bag of shoes be unloaded in an assembly line of men with McClain leading the way off loading the bags from the back of the truck. Another tour followed and once again we were so moved by the dedication of the staff and the genuine feeling of appreciation shown towards us.

What touches me most as a parent is that while McClain was doing this project for others in 2010 and 2011, she was going through a very difficult period in her own life. In late 2009 we were at a routine eye appointment and were asked to go see a retina specialist for some eye issues McClain was having. During the visit to the retinal doctor it was discovered that both of McClain's retinas were detaching and she was rushed into emergency surgery. The end result (too complicated to get into here) was that she had lost total vision in her right eye and her left eye has been severely damaged and she is legally blind in her left eye. She now uses a cane and requires vision services from the school system and has been diagnosed with a retinal disease which can lead to total blindness.

She has never once suggested that we switch our yearly service project to help those affected by blindness and continues to want to collect shoes as well as she continues to swim on a swim team, has tried our for the para-Olympics and maintains straight A's in school in the accelerated classes.

2012

This year, we are closing out the shoe drive and will end up with over 3,800 pairs of shoes we will be delivering to the Atlanta Mission on December 19th. As we end our fourth year, my mind goes back to our discussion in the driveway that has taken us to where we are today. A lot has happened to our family since we started this project but to know that we are at least doing a little good and in some little way others lives are being helped we are so thankful for everyone's support and encouragement.

2009 - Year 1

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