In 2010, for my 8th birthday, I decided to ask for shoes instead of presents so I could donate them to a local school in Montreal. The following year I collected more shoes at my birthday party but it didn't seem like my donation was going to be a very big help in a school for 200 children
In 2012 my own school, Selwyn House School of Montreal, agreed to my request to ask the the Elementary Sc
hool to bring in donations. We fixed the last day to bring in shoes and boots as October 18th, my birthday. That year I was able to donate 100 pairs of shoes. In 2015 the shoes drive expanded to include Selwyn's Middle School and the total amount collected was 489 pairs. Expansion in 2016
In 2016 I officially named the shoe drive SHOES FOR SCHOOLS and with the help of three local girls' schools, Miss Edgar's and Miss Cramp's, The Study School for Girls and The Sacred Heart School of Montreal, we were able to collect 623 pairs of shoes and boots. New shoes donated
With the demand for donations increasing, The Priory and Trafalgar School helped us with the 2017 annual drive. Jack and Jill shoe store offered us new boots and shoes and they were very welcomed. The Sacred Heart added 50 new knapsacks to the donations.
2018 Despite losing some donor schools, who were now handling collections of other items on their own, our totals increased to a record 1200 pairs of shoes including more new shoes from Jack and Jill. We needed a Uhaul to move them to our donation school. Georgia became on integral part of the drive as we spent hours sorting the donations.
2019 started out very well but we were shut down in the Spring on 2020 due to Covid and could not deliver the shoes and boots.
2020, and even though I had graduated, Selwyn agreed to help with a covid-appropriate collection. This year not only did we have enough shoes for Share the Warmth, but also the Salvation Army and Westmount Park School. One donor brought us 90 pairs of new shoes with more to follow. The Future
2021 looks bright as I am hoping to expand to one Cegep as well as keep up the traditions of Selwyn and ECS
2021--We welcome Eva to our core volunteer group. Every bit helps and we know Eva will keep the drive going once Georgia has graduated.
