Only two weeks into a project aimed at putting proper shoes onto the feet of those in need and Jim Belshaw has proved this community has some good souls.
Plenty of extra soles, too.
“It’s been incredible,” said Belshaw, the owner of Roy’s Shoes, of the Soles4Souls project that will first help shoe those who use local service agencies like the Gospel Mission or Salvation Army, as well as those in need internationally. ”I’m really proud to call myself a Kelownian.”
Craig Garries, was among a group of 30 volunteers who had been sorting shoes at a warehouse on Enterprise Way all Tuesday morning and said the shipment of donations was so big and diverse that it came in on a 40-foot trailer.
“We’ve had everything from shoes for little kids to bigfoot,” he said.
To date Belshaw has collected more than 9,000 pairs. And at a rate of about 1,000 donations a day across all of his drop off locations, he’s expecting to meet if not exceed his goal of 25,000 pairs of shoes — especially if corporate partners keep coming around. Just this afternoon Keen Canada called Belshaw and said they were donating 1,000 pairs of new Keen shoes to the cause.
For those who aren’t in the know about shoe prices, a pair of Keens can range in value from $100 to $200, so whoever winds up with those on their tootsies will be walking in style.
“It’s just a great donation,” said Belshaw, reiterating that once March 20 rolls around, and all the donations are accumulated, they’ll lay out the pairs available and let Okanagan social service agencies take their pick.
Belshaw said that it’s estimated most people have two or three extra pairs kicking around in their closet, and pointed out donating them is a much greener way to clear room for more than throwing them into the a landfill.
To find out where to donate go to Belshaw’s site. Click Here Also, those who can’t make it to one of the site’s listed can drop off a donation at the this Saturday’s Rockets game.
For more infomation contact:
Jim Belshaw
Roy's Shoes, Boots and Repairs
http://www.roysshoes.com/
1627 Ellis Street
Kelowna, BC
V1Y 2A8
250-763-5696
