Boy Scouts Helping with Drive

Last week we blogged about Aldersgate United Methodist Church collecting shoes for Soles4Souls. With the help of some outstanding boy scouts, the shoe drive is moving along well. Here is an update printed in the Saturday edition of the Montgomery Advertiser:

Aldersgate United Methodist Church was a collection point for shoes today as Boy Scouts and their leaders took part in the “Soles4Souls” national program.

Most shoes were usable and some appeared to be new as church members and scouts took turns accepting them from vehicles that pulled into the church parking lot.

As the volunteers waited for donations, Scout adviser Jim Hinkle occasionally checked on shoes that had been deposited in a large room at the church.

“We’ve been putting them in here the past couple of days and will make sure they get to the right place for distribution,” said Hinkle.

Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based organization, has distributed more than 4 million pairs of shoes to people in more than 70 counties.

The collection program is being held until May 17, and the Aldersgate scouts elected to get as many as they could today.

The scouts, who are members of the Aldersgate-sponsored Troop 307, took turns during the day holding up a sign along Vaughn Road, encouraging motorists to bring shoes to the church.
Khristen Carlson, who coordinated the shoe collection project, said they will be delivered to the Soles4Souls main warehouse in the east Alabama community of Roanoke.

“Having a pair of shoes is something that most of us take for granted,” she said. “Soles4Souls donates a pair of shoes to someone in need every 17 seconds.”

One of those who drove to Aldersgate on this morning was William Wood, who attends Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church.

“This is a great program, and I’m happy to do what I can to see that needy people get some shoes,” said Wood, who brought more than a dozen pairs to the church.

He said he and his wife often donate shoes and clothes to charitable organizations but decided to give the Aldersgate scouts their shoes this time.