SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — All of the students at Terry Redlin in Sioux Falls received a gift from a generous donor and a non-profit.
Feet were giddy with excitement, as Terry Redlin students received a new pair of shoes.
“Alisha from Samaritan’s Feet contacted me earlier this school year saying that there was a donor in Sioux Falls that wanted to provide shoes to every student at Terry Redlin. So then I ran around getting all the shoe sizes, Samaritan’s Feet, then shipped all the shoes to Terry Redlin,” School Counselor, Kristal Tagtow said.
Around 420 students received shoes with the help of Samaritan’s Feet International.
“We are able to bring them in line by line, get them seated across from a volunteer who is ready to fit them for a new pair of shoes, get them a new pair of socks, hopefully provide them with a message of hope to keep dreaming and believing in yourselves and finish school,” Samaritan’s Feet Chief of Staff, Nike Ohonme said.
“It feels amazing that Terry Redlin was chosen out of all of the elementary schools that are in Sioux Falls as they saw a need at this school for students to receive a new pair of shoes,” Tagtow said.
Organizers say having a good pair of shoes is important for many reasons, including furthering a student’s education.
“Right here in the U.S. we see a high, immense amount of need. Kids need shoes for school requirement for their uniforms. One in five kids need a pair of shoes. It’s considered a basic necessity,” Ohonme said.
Helping students start their education on the right foot.
“Nobody has worn these shoes. They are different colors. They’re fitting exactly to their feet. It’s just really comforting to them and makes them known or makes it known that they are special and that somebody really thought about them,” Tagtow said.
Terry Redlin Elementary is among the ten Title I schools in the Sioux Falls school district.
Samaritan’s Feet says that providing the children with shoes helps them maintain both dignity and hope.
