Samaritan’s Feet Update

It has been a great privilege for Westminster Catawba Christian School to partner with Samaritan’s Feet during this first semester of the 2016-17 school year.  This has been a school-wide effort, seeking to fulfill our mission to educate students to bless the world as disciples of Jesus Christ.  I am writing today to share a little more about what has already been done, what is still to come, and to give everyone in the WCCS community the opportunity to participate.

Our partnership kicked off during our August in-service week when approximately 50 of our faculty, staff, and administration spent an afternoon in the Samaritan’s Feet warehouse helping to sort shoes in preparation for upcoming shoe drives.  This was followed in the month of September as many of the adults on campus counted steps as part of the Samaritan’s Feet Step Challenge project where organizations are counting steps to bring awareness to those who take those same steps without shoes.  But, this was really just a warm-up activity to get our school excited about partnering with Samaritan’s Feet.

samaritans-feetWe set aside the month of October for our Lower School students and teachers to look for ways to connect the Step Challenge with our curriculum and our calling to bless the world!  Terry Tolbert, the Executive Director of Marketing and Development with Samaritan’s Feet, kicked off the month by speaking to our 2nd-5th graders in chapel.  He did a great job sharing the vision of the Step Challenge project with the kids and asked them to do two things:  first, to count their steps while at school for the month of October; and second, to consider giving some of their pennies, nickels, and dimes to enable Samaritan’s Feet to provide shoes for those without.  It brings me great joy to say that our Lower School “stepped up!”  They walked a grand total of 9,013,837 steps – just at school – in the month of October!  And, they brought in their change – $512.94!!!  (As a side note, a big thank you goes out to the numerous high school students who helped roll the coins – many of whom did not even know what it meant to roll coins until they jumped in to help!) 

The next phase of our partnership will give our Upper School the opportunity to join in the fun.  Terry Tolbert spoke to our 6th-12th graders in chapel as well, followed by an announcement by our Student Council about THE Samaritan’s Feet event for our older students – an ’80s-themed RADminton tournament to be held on Friday evening, November 18th.  On that night, students and teachers alike will don their ’80s attire and participate in a school-wide badminton tournament.  The entry fee for each team will be one new pair of shoes or a financial donation.  The entry fee for each spectator will be the same.  It is our hope to further the awareness and our financial contributions for Samaritan’s Feet through this event.

The last phase of this partnership will allow our school to participate in a shoe drive – probably in early 2017.  We are excited to see the culmination of our partnership as we get to actually put new shoes on the feet of kids who desperately need them!  The final details are still to be determined, but we will be sure to communicate these plans when available. 

Until then, I also wanted to give the rest of the WCCS community an opportunity to help us provide shoes.  If you feel called to contribute financially to this project, please visit http://www.samaritansfeet.org/westminster/. 

Thank you to all who have supported this partnership with Samaritan’s Feet.  I am so excited to see WCCS put our mission to action – connecting the education that we seek to provide with the ability to bless the world as disciples of Christ!