Cleats 4 Kids initiative led by local teen
Jul. 17—An Aiken High student is collecting cleats to help children in the area.
Payton Hall, an upcoming senior, wanted to help the community and its children have more access to sporting equipment. He personally played football in his junior year as a wide receiver, and he grew up watching the sport.
Those were big factors in his decision to focus on football cleats but also the fact that teams normally provide pads and jerseys but "cleats [are items that] typically parents have to buy."
Hall's main goal is "being able to help the kids play football." He added that parents not being able to afford cleats "may be the difference in whether [kids] play or not."
On July 15, Aiken Academy Sports and Outdoors provided the initiative with a $1,000 donation to purchase cleats to give out. Hall shopped the aisles for football cleats sized between 4 and 8, as the main demographic of those receiving the cleats will be between the ages of 7 and 12. Hall was able to acquire 22 pairs of cleats during his shopping trip.
Hall's mother, Tiffany, said that "Payton thought it would be small," and neither of them were expecting the incredible amount of support the initiative has gotten.
On the evening of July 15, Hall headed a cleat collection event at Gregg Park Civic Center from 3-7 p.m.
Cleats 4 Kids will be handing out the cleats at football registration taking place at Gregg Park Civic Center during the month of August.
For more information, contact Payton Hall at cleats4kids2022@gmail.com or the Gregg Park Civic Center at greggparkonline.com or in person at 1001 A Avenue Graniteville, S.C., 29829.
