CHRISTMAS SHOE DRIVE FOR LOCAL CHILDREN

Going into its seventh anniversary year, the "Share Your Soles for Christmas" Shoe Drive for Children will be held this year beginning Monday November 16, according to Tom and Jean Sullivan, owners of the Good Feet Store^TM in Millsboro and Dover who are again spearheading the charitable cause.

Tom and Jean Sullivan encourage families in the Delaware and Maryland areas to remember to contribute children's shoes that are no longer needed and are in very good condition. 

"All of us at the Good Feet Stores in Millsboro and Dover are seeking new and gently-used children shoes of all kinds and all sizes for our 'Share Your Soles for Christmas' Shoe Drive that begins November 16," Tom Sullivan said.  "Shoe donations may be placed in our 'Giving Boxes' that are located in the front of the Good Feet Store in Millsboro on Route 113 at 28544 DuPont Blvd. in the Food Lion Shopping Center and the Good Feet Store in Dover at 706-B N. DuPont Highway, opposite Arby's and south of the TD Bank near Route 13 and North State St."

The Good Feet Store^TM specializes in the custom sizing of arch supports for the feet.  These arch supports provide greater comfort, balance and support for the feet and also the entire body.  The 'Share Your Soles for Christmas' Shoe Drive is part of the local Good Feet Store's outreach program to give back to the communities they serve.

The most needed types of shoes for the Good Feet Store Christmas Shoe Drive are those sizes and styles that are most often needed by local children up to the age of 15.  Those who wish to donate are asked to tie or buckle shoes together.  Contributions of new shoes can be left in their original packing box and should not be wrapped in holiday gift paper. 

Jean Sullivan explained that most Americans take shoes for granted, but some children in our area have no such luxury.

"Many of our children have shoes for every occasion," Jean Sullivan said.  "We are aware that there may be a number of children living in our communities who only have one pair of shoes, and of other children who have only one pair that are falling off their feet."

Jean Sullivan describes helping locals kids as "putting wings on their feet."

"The goal of our seventh annual Christmas shoe drive in Millsboro and our fourth shoe drive in Dover is to help meet the shoe needs of children without proper shoe who live in these communities," Jean Sullivan said.  "We want to be able to 'put wings on the feet' of children in need for Christmas."

Although there is no formal estimate of how many pairs of brand-new or gently-used shoes the Christmas Shoe Drive seeks to collect this year, the founders of the charitable cause are encouraged by the positive response of the previous six years.

"Each year has brought us a high level of donations.  Both Tom and I were also impressed with the high quality of the shoes donated over the years," Jean Sullivan said.  "In fact, almost one-half of the shoes donated to us were either brand new or virtually brand new."

The Good Feet Store owners collect the new or "gently-used" kids shoes so can be distributed locally.

"Each year, we are very thankful to received these wonderful shoes that are passed on to a local nonprofit organization that enabled local families to get the needed shoes to help provide a better holiday season for local children," Jean Sullivan said.  "The fact that we have stores in both Millsboro and Dover that are open six days a week is our way of encouraging residents and visitors to participate in our 'Share Your Soles for Christmas' Shoe Drive for Children."

The Sullivans emphasized that no shoe donation is too small.

"Every pair of shoes makes a big difference to that one local child who receives them," Tom and Jean Sullivan said.

Families, businesses and church groups are invited to participate in the upcoming "Share Your Soles for Christmas" Shoe Drive coordinated by the Good Feet Store in Millsboro and Dover.

The Good Feet Store is an international franchise committed to providing people with comfort, balance and support through an extensive line of arch supports and natural sponge rubber cushions. 

These products have helped people from all walks of life.  This includes those who are firefighters, police officers, construction workers, postal workers, nurses, teachers and others.  Good Feet arch supports fit well in footwear of all types including tennis shoes, sneakers, basketball shoes, dress shoes, slippers, boots, high heels, and even sandals.

In order to provide a needed service to the community, the Good Feet Store^TM offers a free biomechanical balancing and a free footprint for those who wish to visit their Millsboro or Dover stores.  For those who need immediate attention, the people at Good Feet will personally size your foot and you can walk away with the Good Feet product immediately. 

The Millsboro Good Foot Stores are located in Millsboro on Route 113 at 28544 DuPont Blvd. in the Food Lion Shopping Center and in Dover at 706-B N. DuPont Highway, opposite Arby's and south of Commerce Bank near Route 13 and North State St.  For more information about Good Feet and the Christmas Shoe Drive that begins on Monday November 16, call 302-934-7500, 302-736-3400 or call toll free at 1-888-606-FEET.