Canyon Creek Elementary School is participating in a shoe-cutting party for Sole Hope that puts closed-toe shoes on the feet of children in Uganda and provides jobs to women and men in Uganda who learn the trade of making shoes. Canyon Creek collected and organized denim and plastic, traced patterns and then cut them to be shipped to Uganda so its citizens may make them for children.

The original goal was to cut the materials for 90 pairs of shoes; however, due to the overwhelming amount of support and dedication, there are materials for nearly 300 pairs to be shipped and produced and a new financial donation goal of $3,000.

The students have been doing a majority of the work, dedicating an enormous amount of time to produce, collect and organize the materials and even skipping recess to help out.

In addition to creating the materials, Canyon Creek is also collecting money donations and medical supplies needed to treat foot infections. The money goes directly to Sole Hope so they may buy the necessary materials to assist the Ugandans.

A pair of shoes costs Sole Hope $10, which includes shipping materials to Uganda, purchasing the sole supplies, paying the shoemakers and tailors and medical purchases to remove jiggers from children’s feet. Jiggers, an epidemic in Africa, are small sand fleas that enter bare feet and burrow into the skin and without the proper treatment, can lead to infection, paralysis and amputation.

Canyon Creek is also collecting medical supplies to wash feet and remove jiggers. Here are the supplies they are looking for: stickers (for the children), large safety pins, surgical gloves, cotton balls, gauze, medical tape, antibiotic cream and Band-Aids.