EDWARDSVILLE - Woodland Elementary School’s Shoeman Project venture is off to a great start, said Principal Tara Fox.
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There was a large-scale kickoff at a morning meeting early last week and the shoe collection concludes on Monday. Students issued a challenge to Cassens, Columbus and Worden school students to also participate in the collection and those shoes are coming into Woodland each day.
“The kids have really responded,” Fox said of their work with the project. “In two days, we had collected 500 pairs of shoes. We have been counting them daily. The students did a video challenge to the other three Edwardsville intermediate schools to join us in support.”
Fox said on Monday, all the shoes that have come in will be counted and prepared for pickup to the project. Shoeman Business Developer, Nick Lintner, presented to the Woodland students about the Shoeman Water Project and how they can be heroes by donating unwanted shoes.
The drive kicked off on Friday, Sept. 4, but collections actually began on Sept. 8 and ends today, Sept. 11. The Shoeman volunteers will pick up shoes on Monday, Sept. 14.
Linter stressed the importance of living with clean drinking water and diseases that come into countries where they don’t have enough water supplies. He also discussed what they do with the shoes and how some of the shoes are given to people who couldn’t afford them and none of the shoes go to a landfill. The money from the shoes sold help purchase materials to drill for water in countries where people need it.
Fox said it is not uncommon for some of her fifth graders to take the lead on different projects. On this particular water project, a group of fifth graders did the video challenge to the other schools.
The shoe collection is also done in honor of those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, although many of the kids simply look at it from an historical perspective.
“This starts that spirit of service and hopefully it will help make them into leaders,” Fox said.
Shoeman Water Projects has a mission to end water poverty through a financial contribution and by donating your new or gently used shoes.
Individuals, churches, schools, clubs, fraternal organizations, businesses and entire communities have worked tirelessly to collect new and gently used shoes, in support of the group’s mission of alleviating human suffering. Part of the group’s mission is to keep usable shoes out of landfills and educate about how water allows developing countries and people in them to succeed.
You can find out more specific information about the project at www.shoemanwater.org.
