Newcomerstown women help provide shoes to needy around world
NEWCOMERSTOWN – Deb DeRing Heifner of Newcomerstown has always had a soft spot for children – especially those in need.
She enjoys participating in the St. Paul Lutheran Church yearly Operation Christmas Child project. A national program coordinated by the charity Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Christmas Child collects shoeboxes that are filled with much needed, culturally sensitive items such as clothing and small food items.
More:Newcomerstown in the News: New urgent care facility opens
In May, DeRing Heifner was searching online for items to fill the boxes and came upon a “The Shoe That Grows” and said she immediately knew it would be a perfect addition to her boxes.
“What’s better than an actual pair of shoes going into the shoeboxes?” DeRing Heifner asked.
The shoes are an invention of Kenton Lee, and can be expanded up five sizes. In addition, they last up to five years, allowing children in impoverished nations an alternative to going barefoot.
The shoes are constructed of high-quality materials, including heavy-duty hooks, Velcro and a buckle. They are designed for intense use. The shoes adjust in the front, back and sides, making them perfect for children who otherwise have no access to footwear.
Lee says on the program’s website that the idea sprung from work in an orphanage in Kenya.
He said that when he saw children with no shoes, or shoes that were too small, he began thinking of a way to help. After several years working on the project, he said he distributed his first 1,000 pairs in 2014 in Kenya.
Since then, he said he has shared shoes with organizations and churches such as St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Newcomerstown.
More:Newcomerstown in the News: Village hires new police chief
The shoes cost $20 per pair, and DeRing Heifner ordered one before relaying her idea to church members Barb Brodbeck and Tracy Stafford. They then brain-stormed on a way to include the shoes in their shoeboxes this Christmas.
The trio set their goal at 100 pairs of shoes. While they communicated their plan with the church congregation, and planned fundraisers, they found they weren’t even necessary, thanks to the generosity of church members.
“We rapidly met our goal and even ended up exceeding it with funds for 105 pairs,” DeRing Heifner said. “The shoes were ordered, and the boxes were packed in November, including the shoes in addition to other small gifts such as toiletries, crayons and books.”
The shoes are available in small, medium and large. “Each contributing member was able to request the size they wanted in their shoebox,” DeRing Heifner said.
While communicating their thanks to church members, the trio said the shoes aid in preventing infections from cuts and scrapes on children’s feet, and fends off diseases that might keep the child from attending school.
In 2021, Operation Christmas Child distributed more than 10.5 million shoeboxes throughout Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
DeRing Heifner said she is happy the women’s efforts helped solve a problem many don’t understand.
“I was glad to be involved in a need that most of us take for granted. We go to our closet each day and choose one of many pairs of shoes, and some children have none,” she said. “It is a great feeling to know St. Paul Lutheran Church and our members have made it possible for 105 recipients to have a pair of shoes that will see them through their school years. We also include small books about sharing the love of Jesus, which is exactly what we do through our shoeboxes.”
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Newcomerstown women help provide shoes to needy around world
