Washington County Public Schools Education Foundation to hold shoe drive fundraiser

The Washington County Public Schools Education Foundation is asking people to kick off their shoes.

The foundation, which responds to local community needs and supports public education, is collecting new and gently used shoes to raise money.

The “Summer’s a Shoe-In” fundraiser is collecting gently used shoes from June 13 through June 20. All shoes are welcome, including boots, cleats, flip-flops and sandals.

“The education foundation was looking for a unique way to do a fundraiser,” said Caren Cramer, executive director of the foundation. “Our big gala was canceled, so we were trying to find a unique way to raise funds.”

The foundation’s gala was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The shoes collected will be given to Horizon Goodwill in Hagerstown, Cramer said. Goodwill will sell the shoes to the public, with the money collected going to the education foundation.

The foundation’s goal is to collect 50,000 pairs of shoes.

A pair of shoes weighs roughly one pound, Cramer said. The goal is 50,000 pounds of shoes or 50,000 pairs of shoes.

People can donate their no-longer-needed shoes at several locations in Washington County. Volunteers will be at the following schools to accept shoes from 10 a.m. to noon June 13 through June 20:

• Boonsboro High School, 10 Campus Ave., Boonsboro

• Clear Spring High School, 12630 Broadfording Road, Clear Spring

• Hancock Middle-Senior High School, 289 W. Main St., Hancock

• Smithsburg High School, 66 N. Main St., Smithsburg

• South Hagerstown High School, 1101 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown

• Williamsport High School, 5 S. Clifton Drive, Williamsport

• Northern Middle School, 701 Northern Ave., Hagerstown

Collection bins for donated shoes will be set up from June 15 through June 19, at the following locations:

• Bester Elementary School, 385 Mill St., Hagerstown

• Cascade Elementary School, 14519 Pennersville Road, Cascade

• Eastern Elementary School, 1320 Yale Drive, Hagerstown

• Jonathan Hager Elementary School, 12615 Sedgwick Way, Hagerstown

• Maugansville Elementary School, 18023 Maugans Ave., Hagerstown

• Pangborn Elementary School, 195 Pangborn Blvd., Hagerstown

• Pleasant Valley Elementary School, 1707 Rohrersville Road near Knoxville

• Rockland Woods Elementary School, 18201 Rockland Drive, Hagerstown

• Salem Avenue Elementary School, 1323 Salem Ave., Hagerstown

• Northern Middle School, 701 Northern Ave, Hagerstown

• Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, 7 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown

• Boonsboro, Clear Spring, Hancock, Smithsburg, South Hagerstown and Williamsport high schools

• Hagerstown Community College, 11400 Robinwood Drive, Hagerstown

• Center for Education Services at 10435 Downsville Pike in Hagerstown

Cramer said parents returning school-issued Chromebooks and iPads are asked to also drop off gently used shoes.