Big hearts, little shoes

April 11, 2011—Thanks to employees’ generosity, hundreds of less fortunate Northern New Mexico kids, as well as people in need in Haiti and Pakistan, recently received shoes.

LANL Laces

280 Northern New Mexico kids in need received brand-new shoes through the Lab's LANL Laces program.

“It’s another record,” beamed Tim Martinez of the Community Programs Office (CPO), which manages LANL Laces. Los Alamos National Security, LLC partner company URS again donated several thousand dollars to the program, Martinez noted.

The program was even more successful this time around because CPO raised enough funds to start shoe fittings last fall, just in time for the start of the new school year. “We were able to raise money more quickly through such events as "Kicks For Kids," our first-ever 3K Fun Run/Walk that we held last August,” Martinez said. “We raised $1,320 at the event, which was led by Ben Fresquez of Field Services Science & Engineering.”

Kids and parents alike appreciated the program’s early start. “A lot of the kids we fitted didn’t have a decent pair of shoes,” Martinez said. “Starting the school year with brand new shoes really meant a lot to them.”

Helping Northern New Mexico

Participating school districts and programs identified children who had the greatest need and CPO staff, along with school personnel, helped arrange and oversee the fitting of shoes.

This year, children from these areas received shoes: 

• Española Valley
• Pojoaque
• Cañones
• Peñasco
• El Rito
• Taos
• Gallina
• Coyote
• Cuba

Share the love: A year-round program

LANL Laces is a year-round program. To donate, submit a personal check or money order to the Cashier's Office at Mail Stop P231 or stop by the Cashier's Office in the basement of the Otowi Building, Room S115. Always indicate that the donation is for LANL Laces.

For more information, contact Martinez at 7-2390.

Shoes for Haiti and Pakistan

Another shoe drive that showcased the generosity of Lab employees took place at Technical Area 48. Workers in the Materials Physics and Applications, Chemistry, and Earth and Environmental Sciences divisions donated 157 pairs of gently used shoes that were sent to people in need in Haiti and Pakistan.

“It was a great outpouring of solidarity,” said Laura Wolfsberg of Inorganic Isotope & Actinide Chemistry. “I had heard about this particular initiative through the Girl Scouts. When I shared it with my coworkers at TA-48, I was amazed at the response I got. It’s an honor to be working with such generous people.”