Hundreds of local students treated to new shoes

JACKSON, Tenn. — An annual event that serves the community occurred once again Monday morning.

Almost 700 students at Pope Elementary School in Madison County received a brand new pair of shoes.

This annual event goes to a different elementary school with the Jackson-Madison County School System each year.

“We have over 50 volunteers from the community, as well as both Rotary clubs — the Old Hickory Rotary Club and the Downtown Jackson Rotary Club. We’re here just having a great time serving these kids at Pope Elementary School to make sure that they have properly fitting shoes and a fresh pair of socks,” said Carolyn Vaughan, Jackson Rotary Club President.

Vaughan tells us that many students are in need of a new pair of shoes. Some have never had a pair and these will be their first shoes that are all their own.

“We come in a month before and we properly fit them in their shoe size,” Vaughan said. “We see that a lot of them have ill-fitting shoes, they have really worn shoes, or shoes that just don’t fit properly. They’re not even their own shoes. They might be a parent’s shoe, or a brother or sister. They’re not proper for the playground and they’re really not proper for the growth of that student’s foot.”

This is one of their biggest events each year. Vaughan says it costs about $30,000 each year to provide the shoes. Some of that money is a grant, which they match, and the rest are donations.

“It is fun to serve others,” Vaughan said. “That’s the Rotary motto, ‘Service Above Self.’ So this is really us getting out there and out of serving ourselves and serving others. That’s what it is really all about.”

This is a great time for all of these students to receive a new pair of shoes as summer break is right around the corner.

Vaughan tells us that planning for next year’s event, which will be at Arlington Elementary, will begin as soon as this one ends.

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