Soles of Joy

08/07/2026

📸 Soles of Joy Photos Are Here!

What an incredible night and now we have the photos to prove it! 💎👖👟

A huge THANK YOU to our two talented photographers who so beautifully captured the people, energy and special moments from our Soles of Joy Denim & Diamonds event.

We have two galleries available, so be sure to look through BOTH -you may find yourself in each!

📷 Marie Rose Creative Co.
View the Soles of Joy 2026 Gallery⁠ : https://gallery.marierosecreativeco.com/solesofjoy2026/
Open the gallery, find your favorites and use the Download option to save your images. The gallery also allows you to favorite and share photos.
When sharing, please tag .

📷 Originations Photography | Julie L. Hipkins
View the Soles of Joy Gallery: https://originations.zenfolio.com/p631383315
Password: July31KCR
Expires: October 31, 2026

For Julie’s gallery, click an individual image to enlarge it and select DOWNLOAD. To download multiple photos from a computer, choose SELECT IMAGES → SELECT ALL → DOWNLOAD.

When posting Julie’s images, please credit:
Julie L. Hipkins / Originations Photography

✨ Please feel free to download, post and share your favorites! And tag Soles of Joy so we can see and reshare them, too.

These photos captured exactly what made this night so special -an incredible community coming together to help local children head back to school with confidence. 👟❤️

Thank you again to both photographers for helping us preserve such a beautiful night!

Photo collection by Marie Rose Creative Co.

08/03/2026

Today was one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.

With the help of incredible community volunteers, we sorted through more than 2,000 pairs of new shoes to prepare for distribution to local children as they get ready to head back to school. Every pair represents a child who will walk into the new school year with confidence.

This simply would not have been possible without our amazing community. Thank you to every individual, business, organization, volunteer, and donor who collected, purchased, delivered, sorted, or supported this effort in any way. Your generosity is making a real difference for local families.

Key City Rotary Club is proud to continue Julie Kuhn Gaver’s efforts and is grateful to the Frederick community!

Special shout out to Rae Gallagher for coordinating the shoe collection and distribution to our non profit beneficiaries!!

We’re already looking ahead to next year, and our goal is even bigger. If you’d like to be part of the Soles of Joy mission-whether by volunteering, collecting shoes, becoming a sponsor, or helping spread the word-we’d love to have you involved.

Send us a message, and we’ll add you to our distribution list for next year’s campaign.

Together, we’re helping our community put its best foot forward. ❤️👟

08/01/2026

Did you attend last night’s event? Please share your favorite memories and photos here!

08/01/2026

Last night’s event was an incredible success! We met our goal of 2000 pairs of shoes, with help from our community, but most especially from Jennifer Stevens Long who brought in 731 pairs of new shoes!! Thank You Jennifer. What an amazing feat (pun intended)!!

07/30/2026

💙 A huge THANK YOU to some of our incredible Soles of Joy shoe collection champions! 👟

Because of the generosity of our community, hundreds of local children will head back to school with a brand-new pair of shoes and the confidence they deserve.

We’re incredibly grateful for these outstanding supporters:

👟 Julie Gaver -151 pairs
👟 Jackson Chapel United Methodist Church -79 pairs
👟 Woodsboro Bank -68 pairs
👟 Bloomfield Community -50 pairs
👟 Melissa LeClair -45 pairs

Your generosity is changing lives, one pair of shoes at a time. Thank you for believing in this mission and helping us ensure every child starts the school year on the right foot.

We’re getting closer to our goal of 2,000 pairs, and there’s still time to help!

If you’d like to make a difference, you can donate directly through our Amazon Wish List:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3A5DL0M0D16AZ?ref_=wl_share

Together, we’re proving what can happen when a community comes together with a shared purpose. ❤️

07/30/2026

In honor of our Soles of Joy event tomorrow we would like to recognize our many Flip Flop Sponsors. Thank You so much to these individuals. We appreciate your support!!

Chenee’ Beach
Marj Berkheimer
Julie Christiansen
Julie Gaver
Sue Hough
Gwen Hoy
Brynne Krispin
Melissa LeClair
Kim Lenta
Lili Leonard
Tina Lundstedt
Dr. Rachel Mandel
Diane Stinson
Meghan Sweigart
Timika Thrasher
Mia Whittaker, Whittaker Designs

07/30/2026

✨ One more sleep until our Soles of Joy celebration! 👟💙

Tomorrow we come together to celebrate what our community can accomplish when we all do a little to help a lot.

If you’ve been meaning to donate, there’s still time for one final push! Every pair of shoes helps a child in Frederick County start the school year with confidence.

We’re so close to our goal, and your donation-big or small-can make a real difference.

👟 Shop our Amazon Wish List here:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3A5DL0M0D16AZ?ref_=wl_share

Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared, volunteered, and supported this mission. We can’t wait to celebrate with you tomorrow! ❤️

07/29/2026

Community is at its best when people show up for one another. ❤️👟

A huge thank you to Barry Weller Properties for donating 14 pairs of shoes to our Soles of Joy shoe drive!

Every pair donated helps a child in Frederick County start the school year with confidence. It’s amazing to see local businesses and our community come together to make a real difference.

We’re getting close to our goal, but there’s still time to help!

Donate a new pair of shoes here:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3A5DL0M0D16AZ?ref_=wl_share

Together, we can make sure more kids head back to school with the essentials they need. Thank you, Barry Weller Properties, for being part of this mission! 💙

07/27/2026

🎉 Soles of Joy: Frequently Asked Questions

Our Denim & Diamonds celebration is almost here! Here are answers to some of the questions we’ve been receiving.

👟 When is the event?
Friday, July 31
6:00–8:00 PM
📍 Walkers Overlook

👖 What should I wear?
Our theme is Denim & Diamonds! Dress it up or keep it casual! your favorite denim outfit with a little sparkle is the perfect fit.

🎟️ Can I still buy tickets?
Ticket sales have closed. We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone who purchased a ticket!

👞 Can I still donate shoes?
YES! We are still collecting new, closed-toe shoes for local children and teens. Every pair makes a difference, and donations will be accepted through the day of the event.

❤️ Who benefits from Soles of Joy?
Your support helps provide shoes for children served by:
• Girls on the Run
• Boys & Girls Club of Frederick County
• SHIP of Frederick County
• Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership (COIPP)
• Butterfly Ridge Elementary School
• Mental Health Association of Frederick County
• Housing Authority

🍷 What’s included with my ticket?
Your evening includes:
✨ Heavy hors d’oeuvres by Set the Table
🍺 Open bar featuring Big Cork Winery and Rockwell Brewery
🎸 Live entertainment by Benefactor
📸 A fun photo booth from Premiere Pics

💎 There will be a special ch*****ne experience from Colonial Jewelers with the chance to win a real diamond

💙 How can I still help?
Bring a new pair of shoes to the event, encourage your friends and family to donate, and help us reach our goal of 2,000 pairs of shoes for local students before back-to-school season.

Thank you for helping us put new shoes on the feet of children in our community. We can’t wait to celebrate with you on Friday!