Members of the New Castle County chapter of Jack and Jill of America, the nation's oldest and largest African-American family organization. On this day in honor of Dr. King, they kept the spirit of public service alive by conducting a shoe drive.
Bags filled with shoes came in, and then there were those shoes that the children collected on their own. Some hosted parties, while others called on local churches They prayed for them and there were shoes all over the altar. People were bringing in bags and boxes," said Eboni Coger, 16.
"For my birthday, instead of presents, I asked if we could get shoes," said 8-year-old Camryn Lane.
Children and parents worked side by side. Hundreds of shoes had to be matched up, tied together and sorted for a final count.
"The children of Jack and Jill are proud to say we have collected 2,436 shoes," proclaimed 8-year-old Kennedy Crowder.
And the count kept rising. All of the donations will be given to an organization called Shoes to Share, which ships them to impoverished countries like Haiti.
"These shoes will help a lot of people. I think that they'll do a lot of good," said Mackenzie Snead.
The shoe drive drives home the point that it is up to people like these children to keep Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream alive.
"I think Dr. King would be very proud of us," said Dylan Granger.
"I think he'd like it because we're all giving a piece of something to the community, giving back in a way," said 17-year-old Dylan Granger.
Giving back and remembering Dr. King's dream.
