CRESTVIEW— Selected students at Walker and Riverside elementary schools will be able to run, leap and play in new shoes this summer thanks to a regional medical business’ community outreach.
An emergency response vehicle that had served Hurricane Sandy victims in New Jersey and New York pulled up at the schools last week.
A three-man team from Pensacola-based DaVita Dialysis Services delivered nearly 100 pairs of mostly athletic shoes to Walker and Riverside students from low-income households.
DaVita clinics in Northwest Florida hosted fundraisers to purchase shoes using lists provided by Walker and Riverside administrators, who identified the neediest students.
DaVita’s Shooza-Palooza outreach is part of the nationwide Shoes That Fit program.
Shoe boxes, some gift-wrapped, were tagged with each student’s name, age, shoe size and classroom.
“We’ve done a lot of these,” biomedical supervisor Kevin McCormick said as he and biomedical technician John Butler carefully wheeled a cart stacked with 48 shoeboxes into Walker.
“We like to do it in the spring with summer approaching,” facility administrator and nurse Don Wardle said. “A lot of the kids are really underprivileged and this will be their only pair of shoes.”
“It’s very rewarding to be able to help these kids and give back” to the community, McCormick said.
The shoes were quietly distributed in counselor Alicia Humphrey’s office to avoid calling attention to the students.
“It’s not their fault that their circumstances are like that,” Humphrey said. “A child shouldn't have to suffer if family finances are bad.”