Corbin High School students collecting old shoes to benefit Waterstep Shoe Drive

Corbin High School students are collecting all kinds of shoes old and new to donate to the Waterstep Shoe Drive.

Students at Corbin High School are collecting shoes with the goal of helping people in Africa have better access to clean drinking water.

For the fourth year, a group of students led by Social Studies teacher Cheryl Tinsley is participating in the Waterstep Shoe Drive.

The goal is to collect shoes, which are then sold to a company that recycles them.

Tinsley said the Waterstep organization uses the proceeds to repair broken water wells and to purchase waterballs that enable residents that typically travel miles to reach a water source to more easily transport the water.

“The balls hold 12 to 20 gallons of water and may be rolled,” Tinsley explained.

“They teach the residents how to repair the wells and provide filters that can filter up to 10,000 gallons of water per day.

Tinsley said her sons, Jeff and Robbie, began this effort after learning that two children in the world die every minute because of waterborne illness.

“That is just not acceptable in this day and age,” Tinsley said.

Tinsley said the students collected 2,500 pairs of shoes in 2016 and the goal is to exceed that.

Any types of shoes are accepted from flip flops to boots.

“They don’t have to be matching pairs,” Tinsley said explaining all shoes are welcome.

“We are hoping people may take the time during spring break to do some spring cleaning,” Tinsley said.

The students have placed collection bins at each school building.

Anyone that has shoes but is unable to get to one of the schools may contact Tinsley at the high school to arrange a pickup. The number is 528-3902.

“We will be happy to come and pick up the shoes,” Tinsley said.

The collection period will run through April 28.

“Over the last three years, we have collected 8,100 pairs of shoes,” Tinsley said. “We are hoping to collect enough to push us over 10,000.”

More information about the program is available online at www.waterstep.org.