Donated Shoes nearly destroyed in Accident

Two weeks ago, a shipment of a few hundred pairs of shoes arrived at the Soles4Souls distribution center in Virginia. According to Linda Mooser of Books & Company, it was amazing that they even made it.

Mooser, the owner of Books & Company in Hamden, CT, just finished a successful shoe drive in which they collected 562 pairs of shoes for Soles4Souls. She told the shipper that she wasn't in any hurry to send them, but he sent a truck the next day anyway, arriving a half hour before they closed on Monday, July 15.

At midnight, Mooser was awakened with the news that a car being chased by the police had crashed through her bookstore's front window at over 80 MPH and took out everything in its path for nearly 100 feet. This culminated in the customer bathroom being destroyed and the pipes bursting, adding flood to the mix. It resembled the aftermath of a cyclone.

The shoes (which were in boxes under tables which were levelled) would have been destroyed if they had still been there. Mooser estimates that it will be 6 to 8 weeks before she is back in business, but she is glad that the shoes made it.

"I considered this a great blessing, given the energy I expended and the purpose behind the shoe collection," stated Mooser. "So they are miracle shoes of a sort!"

Mooser was also very thankful that no one was hurt. Even the driver fled on foot.

The Soles4souls crew is glad that the shoes made it but we feel awful about Linda's store. Our thoughts and prayers are with her at this time. She is such a gracious and giving person and we know that she will bounce back from this.