American Martyrs Youth Collecting Shoes to Outfit Those in Need

If you have shoes you no longer use, American Martyrs 8th grader Sam Holtze wants them to help outfit the 1.5 billion people who don't have a pair.

The MB youngster, aided by fellow students, school administrators and the church parish, is collecting gently worn [and new, of course] shoes for Soles4Souls, which outfits "people in need, regardless of race, religion, class, or any other criteria," according to its website. The Nashville-based charity has provided 19 million pairs of shoes to people in more than 125 countries.

Sam and members of the AMS boys varsity basketball team will be collecting shoes Saturday at the American Martyrs 5K from 7:30 to 10 a.m. and on Sunday after every mass [7, 8, 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.] at the church.

Shoes can also be dropped off at Village Runner in Manhattan Beach and Village Runner in Redondo Beach through March 1.

Shoe laces should be tied together or shoes should be rubberbanded into pairs.

Sam, who is a youth board member of Grades of Green, has been going to races in the area and holding up posters asking people to bring their shoes to The Village Runner. He has collected some shoes...enough to fill a small storage unit, but is always ready for more.

• Previously: 7th-Grader a 'Champion of Change'