What is the Rotary Heart & Sole Project? This fundraiser and service project was officially established in August 2019.  This project is designed to put new socks and tennis shoes on the feet of students in the Jackson-Madison County School System. Through partnering with Samaritan’s Feet recipients receive a pair of new socks and shoes and had their feet washed by Rotarians and community leaders and volunteers.

“In 2017, I was informed about a need for shoes in the Jackson-Madison County School System (JMCSS) – I made it my mission at that very moment to help figure out how to raise money to put shoes on the feet of children in the JMCSS. As a Rotarian, I felt like this need; along, with the mission of Samaritan’s Feet aligned with the motto of all Rotarians – “Service above self.” Therefore, I presented this project to our three local clubs and Rotary made this mission a reality! Together the three Rotary Clubs of Jackson have raised enough money to put shoes on the feet of all the children in three inter-city schools In Jackson TN (Arlington Elementary, Andrew Jackson and Alexander Elementary),” said Shelley Hayes, Director of Corporate Health and Wellness, West Tennessee Healthcare. 

How did this all get started? Well, some might say it all started with a school field trip permission slip! 

Shelley works as the Director of Corporate Health and Wellness Manager for West Tennessee Healthcare; where she takes health and wellness into workplaces to make it accessible for everyone. Taking the “I can not get off work to go to the doctor” out of the equation. 

Shelley along with Annette Wilson, Coordinated School Health Administrator for JMCSS, also Corporate Client of Shelley’s and Emily Muse, Marketing Manager for LIFT Wellness and were meeting at the LIFT Wellness Center in downtown Jackson, TN planning an upcoming field trip for a class at South Elementary. The class had been learning about healthy eating and had a grant that provided nutribullets (a type of food blender) to each student in the class. The grant helped the students learn to make smoothies (a healthy meal option) while providing them their own personal blender along with fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Annette wanted us to help plan this health inspired field trip where the children would tour Grubb’s Grocery to learn about healthy food choices. Then, the students would tour the Farmer’s Market to learn about locally grown healthy food choices. Finally, they would end the field trip with a tour of the LIFT Wellness Center and learn about the different types of exercises you can do to maintain a healthy lifestyle. As Annette and Emily discussed the tour of the LIFT – Emily kindly stated that the field trip permission slip would need to require the children to wear proper foot attire specifically – tennis shoes for the gym floor part of the tour. Then, Annette made an alarming statement that she would list the requirement on the permission slip but she could not promise that all the students would have tennis shoes to wear – alarmed – Shelley pressed further into this issue…” Annette please tell me what you mean”, she asked. Annette went further to discuss with her that some students only have access to flip-flops and wear them year-round. As a mother of three, Shelley’s heart broke.

Immediately, she felt the need to do something about this issue. No child should have to wear flip-flops in the winter months and everyone who is capable should be able to participate in P.E. Therefore, the field trip meeting quickly took a turn toward a need and Shelley led a discussion about tackling this issue. Annette shared further that there used to be a 5K that funded shoes for children in the JMCSS called, “Goody2Shoes.” That is all Shelley needed to know and she was off to the races to form a committee of local leaders to get the 5K back up and going. While forming the committee she did research to find out who, what, when, and where used to host this 5K and how were shoes distributed. Area Relief Ministries, a local nonprofit held the 5K and we welcomed a member onto the committee. While everyone meant well and worked hard to make the 5K successful that year (2017). We found out 5K’s are plentiful and just do not generate the cash we needed to put shoes on the feet of the children in our school system. We raised around $1,700 and placed it in a fund at the Foundation until we could raise the rest of the funds needed. 

Shelley has served on the Board for the Old Hickory Rotary Club as the Club Secretary and Club President and while District Governor, Laquita Stribling made her rounds one year – she urged the board members to work with the two other Rotary clubs in Jackson to do a larger scale project. Without a doubt, Shelley was inspired to pitch the Rotary Heart & Sole project. She called a meeting of all three club Presidents and everyone was so eager, immediately jumped on board with her vision to raise money to fund shoes for the children in Jackson-Madison County School System. 

Samaritan’s Feet was recommended by Mayor Scott Conger – although he wasn’t Mayor at the time – when the original committee was formed shortly after the field trip meeting. He had been a part of one of their events. Shelley loved their mission of hope and feet washing. Shelley pitched that the funds would be used to go to them and they charge $20 per person (all the supplies, new socks, and shoes are included in the price). They also set up and train the volunteers. Everyone rallied behind this plan and made it happen! 

The first two distributions were completed in December 2019 and the stories will just melt your heart! Children were asking the volunteers: “Do I get to wear these all day?” and “Do I have to give the shoes back at the end of the day?” Several children said, “This is the first pair of new tennis shoes I have ever had!” and some children were just so overwhelmed they cried tears of joy of a lack of words. 

Shelley shared a few stories from the first shoe distribution event: One little girl sat down in the chair and acted really shy. I introduced myself and asked her if I could wash her feet; give her a new pair of socks and a new pair of shoes. She timidly leaned over and whispered to me that she did not have on any socks. I reassured her it was okay and that no one would notice, she agreed to proceed with the foot washing and as I was washing her feet she leaned over and said, “Mrs. Shelley, the reason why I do not have on socks – is because I do not have any socks.” I assured her that she would be getting socks and shoes today and I will never forget the grin she gave me in that very moment – pure joy and relief. Something she was embarrassed about a few minutes earlier is now, no longer an issue. 

A little boy sat down for me to wash his feet, I introduced myself to him and asked his name, proceeded to tell him why we were there, and various conversation points. He told me he wanted to be a police officer and I told him he would make an absolutely wonderful police officer. He said, “really?” Yes, I responded – you know why? You are awesome! He turned to the boy sitting beside him and said, hey did you know I am awesome!? He kept repeating the words, I am awesome! I continued to reassure him, you are awesome! He told the other volunteers that he was awesome! He left the gymnasium repeating I am awesome over and over. Children need to know that they are good and they can do good. “Be the good you wish to see in the world.”