INDIANAPOLIS — It may not quite be Christmas yet, but students at Daniel Webster Middle School left Friday with a bag of socks, shoes, warm gloves and toys.
The school’s Shoe Day event has been an annual tradition for 19 years.
“Shoe Day is probably the school’s favorite day of the year,” the school’s principal, Allyson Peterkin, said. “New students are introduced to this day by returning students telling them it’s the best day ever. One girl told me she’s been waiting for this all year."
Kroger pays for the event, and Carnival Shoes’ employees were making sure each pair of shoes fit the students. Indiana Pacers' mascot Boomer was also there to give them some extra smiles.
Peterkin says the need for the event in the community is there.
“We have some families who struggle to make ends meet, so this is a way they get high-quality shoes for the students. This is something a large amount of our community counts on,” Peterkin said.
After today’s donations, organizers say they will have distributed more than 8,000 pairs of new shoes since the first Shoe Day.
