JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Some University of Jamestown students spent their Sunday afternoon outfitting kids in need with shoes as part of Samaritan’s Feet.
The 2nd annual shoe distribution was held February 17th at the Harold Newman Arena. Over 140 Jamestown area kids pre-registered for the free shoe distribution program.

Denise Blomberg, Regional Director of Operations for Samaritan’s Feet, says volunteers wash the feet of those they serve before setting each child up with a pair of shoes.

Blomberg says shoes remain one of the most expensive items for families in the United States. She says kids were pre-registered through the Jamestown Public School District and other schools in Stutsman County. She says with the amount of children and parents in need of shoes high, their work will never be done.
Blomberg says the University of Jamestown is the first to have a student organization helping their cause in the United States.

She pointed out that over 6,500 children in North Dakota have received a pair of shoes through Samaritan’s Feet. She says with the Jamestown distribution, nearly 350 students in Jamestown and Stutsman County have been fitted with shoes through Samaritan’s Feet.
Tommy Voss is the president of the Samaritan’s Feet Global Ambassadors (SFGA). The University of Jamestown student organization boasts more than 60 members, all of whom are excited to be helping the cause.

Voss says students collected more than 200 pairs of shoes over Christmas break. He says that tied with the barefoot basketball game shoe drives and monetary donations, they were able to collect more than 300 pairs of new shoes for the event.

Afterwards, kids were encouraged to participate in some fun games and exercise wearing their new shoes.