CENTERVILLE, Ind. — Hundreds of students at Centerville-Abington Elementary School received new athletic shoes and socks Tuesday, Nov. 10, as the 500 Festival and New Shoe Day partnered to support a community affected by August's severe flooding.
The distribution was made possible through approximately $60,000 raised with support from the 500 Festival's Board of Directors, Foundation Board of Directors, individual donors and a matching gift from Lucas Oil.
"Today our kids are receiving an incredible gift from the Indy 500 Festival," said Kelly VanWinkle, principal of Centerville-Abington Elementary School. "Each of our students will be receiving a pair of gym shoes as well as a pair of socks."
The effort began after the 500 Festival learned about the flooding that caused widespread damage across eastern Indiana, including Wayne County.
Dave Neff, president and CEO of the 500 Festival, said the organization quickly mobilized its supporters, raising close to $60,000 in approximately 24 hours.
"We've been around for 70 years and really exist for three reasons: to celebrate the spirit and legacy of the Indy 500, to produce life-enriching events for Hoosiers, and to drive positive community impact," Neff said.
Through its KidsFit program, the organization identified Centerville-Abington Elementary as a school in one of the hardest-hit communities and partnered with New Shoe Day to provide footwear to students.
New Shoe Day is an Indianapolis-based nonprofit that works with schools and youth-serving organizations across Indiana to address shoe insecurity.
"New Shoe Day serves as the state's shoe bank, which means that we exist to provide a system of access for new footwear to communities and youth-serving organizations to empower their kids to thrive," said Casey Crouse, the organization's executive director.
The partnership will also help establish an ongoing shoe pantry for the school district, allowing students to receive footwear as needs arise.
Rebecca Gilliam of the Wayne County Foundation said she learned about the initiative through Crouse and was excited about the opportunity to bring additional resources to local students.
"Anytime we can serve kids and get them the things they need to be successful, not only at school but in their after-school and extracurriculars, I think that's a win," Gilliam said.
She also reflected on the excitement that comes with receiving something new.
"You know, that light bulb, the big eyes. They're like, 'Oh my gosh, a new pair of shoes.' I mean, we all know that feeling of getting something new."
Founded in 2021, New Shoe Day has distributed more than 18,000 pairs of shoes across Indiana through partnerships with schools and community organizations.
While Tuesday's event provided students with new footwear, the planned shoe pantry will allow the partnership's impact to continue beyond the distribution day.
To learn more about New Shoe Day and its work providing footwear to children across Indiana, visit NewShoeDay.org. For more information about the 500 Festival and its community programs, visit 500Festival.com.
