Dr. Rachael Renschler, podiatrist/foot & ankle surgeon at Jamestown Regional Medical Center, wants to set children up for success by collecting children’s shoes.
“Children’s feet grow and change rapidly to ultimately form a foot they will depend on for the rest of their lives,” said Dr. Renschler, JRMC’s Podiatrist. “The most critical time to care and support the foot is when children are young.”
JRMC is collecting new and gently-used children’s shoes through Friday, April 27.
Children grow quickly. It can be hard for some families to afford multiple pairs of shoes, sandals and boots each year. But shoes that fit properly are important, Dr. Renschler said.
Shoes that don’t fit can cause blisters and prevent kids from being able to grip the ground properly putting them at risk for injuries.
To help those families, Dr. Renschler is asking the community to donate shoes for children and teens as part of the Souls for Soles program. April is a fitting time, Dr. Renschler said, because it is also National Foot Health Awareness Month.
This is JRMC’s first year hosting Soles for Souls. Soles for Souls benefits local families through Community Action Region VI and Salvation Army in Jamestown.
“We’ll distribute shoes to children this summer,” said Kathy A. Williams, director of Community Action Region VI. “If we have extras, we’ll also give them to children before school starts.”
Salvation Army plans to distribute the shoes this summer before the new school year and as part of its Angel Tree program in December.
The public may donate clean, matching shoes to one of the following locations: JRMC, First Community Credit Union, Wells Fargo, Central Valley Health and Two Rivers Activities Center. To keep feet healthy, Soles for Souls cannot accept shoes that are torn or visibly soiled.
If interested in donating, call (701) 952-4795. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Renschler by calling (701) 952-4878.