For the 23rd consecutive year, the adult Sunday School class at a Rockingham church is reaching out to needy Richmond County youth this holiday season by leading a shoe drive.

The Pairs and Spares class of First Presbyterian is again sponsoring its New Shoes for Christmas campaign to aid the community in providing new, warm shoes for impoverished children in Richmond County Schools kindergarten through fifth grade classes.

“We’re kicking off our drive once again this year, and we’re hoping to raise enough money to buy 600 pairs of shoes,” Charles White, a church member who helps head the drive.

He explained that the effort has been mounted annually since 1987, making this the 23rd year the group has sought to help needy youth at Christmas time.

“Over the years, we’ve bought over 13,000 pairs of shoes,” White recalled.

The way it works is this, donations are taken from the community to purchase vouchers for shoes from both J.C. Penney’s and The Shoe Department.

Schools officials in Richmond County then choose children who have the greatest amount of need for the vouchers, and all administrative costs are borne by the Sunday School class.

Last year, the group actually overshot its goal of 600 pairs of shoes, raising enough money to purchase 800 pairs.

In January, Pairs and Spares Treasurer Sue Stevenson explained the community donated more than $28,000 to purchase the 800 pairs of shoes.

“Really, across the board,” Stevenson said. “We have people that give $5, all the way up to $1,000, and we get a lot of support from other churches, Sunday School classes, men’s groups and, of course, the Rotary Club assists us with their fundraiser every year.”

Despite over-shooting its goal by a third in 2008, White explained there were still some unfortunate children in the county schools who didn’t get to participate.

“And the people in the schools told us there was still a great need,” White said.

For J.C. Penney’s Manager Terry Greene, hosting the children in his store to pick out a new pair of shoes is something he and his staff look forward to year after year.

“We’ve done it for so long, we know what to expect now, and I think we do it better than anyone else,” he said. “I usually go down on the floor and help them try on shoes. I get a kick out of it.”

Last year, about half of the 800 pairs of shoes raised by the Sunday School class were purchased from J.C. Penney’s, Greene said.

“This is just a great community effort, and all the citizens that donate to this really get their money worth,” he continued. “Some of these kids haven’t had the right size shoes on their feet for quite some time. There are some who are still wearing the same shoes they got last year, and their feet have grown.

“For some of these kids, it might be the only new pair of shoes they’ve ever had.”

Harriet Wallace of The Shoe Department said she and her store associates also look forward to the days when dozens of children come in to pick out their new kicks.

“We get very excited for several reasons, but the children are such a blessing because they get so excited,” she said. “They’re just thrilled to death to get a new pair of shoes.”

She said their reactions are “like seeing Santa Claus,” but the children aren’t the only thing that makes putting shoes on their feet heart-warming.

“This allows us to reflect on how much we have to be thankful for,” Wallace continued. “It’s really encouraging to know that we have so many people in Richmond County willing to donate money - even in this down economy. These people still find something to donate for children in need.”

In a letter to potential 2009 donors, White cited a quotation from the late Tim Russert in his book, “Big Russ and Me.”

“’... the best exercise of the human heart is reaching down and picking someone else up,’” White quotes. “This quote certainly speaks very favorably about the exercise you have taken over the years to help buy shoes for the less fortunate children in the Richmond County Schools.

Donations may be made to New Shoes for Christmas, care of First Presbyterian Church, 904 Fayetteville Road, Rockingham, NC, 28379.

Memorials and honorariums are acknowledged to the person or persons you designate.

Staff Writer Philip D. Brown can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 32, or by e-mail at pbrown@yourdailyjournal.com.