You don't have to walk a mile in some Detroit children's shoes to understand the need for better footwear. A local Podiatrist is giving 100 children brand new shoes.
Third grader Char'marin Vasquez went bakc to school wearing hand-me-down snakers that are too small. "They hurt my feet," she said.
"It hurt every time I put them on and walked."
Thanks to Dr. Anthony Weinert, 100 3rd to 8th graders from Detroit Service Learning Academy are kicking off the new school year with new kicks.
He explained, "I know when I was younger, I got a new pair I would go running around and you just feel good about."
"Some shoes, they were white just like the clouds in the sky," Vasquez described.
Dr. Weinert is a podiatrist in Troy and Warren.
He created the Shoe Pantry Plus organization in honor of his late mother, who was one of 15 children and knew the importance of having shoes that fit.
"They wore hand-me-downs or shoes that holes in them. Sometimes they had to walk barefooted," he said.
Some former Lions player were on hand helping the kids try on their new socks and shoes!
"I know my wife, Cindy, always used to say, 'God, you're always pampering your feet all the time.' I mean I had to," Former kicker Eddie Murray said.
He knows the importance of healthy feet!
Murray added, "Nice to see the reaction to the kids, they have something new and it fits them well. A lot of big smiles on their faces."
Dr. Weinert said comfortable shoes are a must.
"Your feet are the foundation to the body, so when you have issues with your feet, not only will it cause problems with your feet, but your knees, your hip, back, overall your whole body."
Now these kids are a "shoo-in" for a better future.
Vasquez said, "They feel much better because they fit me."
To make a donation to Shoe Pantry Plus, go to: https://shoepantryplus.org/
