ORANGEBURG, S.C. — More than 100 children in the Orangeburg County School District were gifted with new shoes. This distribution was part of the Orangeburg Rotary Club's Happy Feet program.
“It feels good because some people don’t have this opportunity to have shoes," said district student Logan Tatum. Tatum attends Bethune-Bowman Elementary School and was one of the recipients of the shoes.
“I was like, 'Wow, look at these new shoes,' like, it’s so good," said Tatum.
The Rotary Club partnered with the Orangeburg County School District for the distribution. The district contacted guidance counselors throughout the county to identify the children that had a need.
“It’s an opportunity for us to tell these children that they are loved and we want to help them, that we’re all part of this community together," said Rotary Club president Margaret Frierson.
"We know that often times children have to go without and we would like to fill that void," Frierson said.
The shoes were purchased with grant funds from the organization and were supplied by Hibbett Sports in Orangeburg.
“Just seeing, especially the kids that was taking them off and putting the old ones in the box and putting new ones on, that definitely made it worth it for us," said district manager Shamar Moore.
Bethune-Bowman Elementary school student Jamoni Haynes also received a pair of shoes. “It feels great because God had blessed me," she said.