Sacred Heart High School sophomore Susannah Tuminelli had an idea last summer: “Get everyone to walk in their bare feet, to think more about what it’s like to not have shoes.” Tuminelli made it happen Wednesday morning. About 300 Sacred Heart students in grades 7 through 12 took part in a 40-minute “empathy walk.” Before setting off barefoot around the school’s campus, students gathered several hundred pairs of new shoes to be given to poor and homeless children. “We didn’t expect this many people, but it’s been great. A lot of people ponied up and really got it going,” said Tuminelli, 15, of Kingston. The other student organizers were Patrick Prendergast, 17, a senior from Sandwich, and Sarah Wiley, 15, a sophomore from Plymouth. Tuminelli said she was inspired by a talk given by Sacred Heart graduate Ryan Thorley during a school retreat Sept. 24. Thorley is part of My Brother’s Keeper, a local volunteer Christian ministry. Prendergast said they only had 16 pairs of donated shoes by Tuesday. But on Wednesday students added to a pile on the school’s front steps, took off their own shoes and began the walk. By the end of the walk, a large pile of shoes lay on the steps – mostly white sneakers, but also boots, slippers and even heels – ready to be donated to Cradles to Crayons, a nonprofit organization that provides shoes and other items to needy children. After an opening prayer by Sister Donna Gribschaw, students headed around ca ...
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Sacred Heart High School sophomore Susannah Tuminelli had an idea last summer: “Get everyone to walk in their bare feet, to think more about what it’s like to not have shoes.” Tuminelli made it happen Wednesday morning. About 300 Sacred Heart students in grades 7 through 12 took part in a 40-minute “empathy walk.” Before setting off barefoot around the school’s campus, students gathered several hundred pairs of new shoes to be given to poor and homeless children. “We didn’t expect this many people, but it’s been great. A lot of people ponied up and really got it going,” said Tuminelli, 15, of Kingston. The other student organizers were Patrick Prendergast, 17, a senior from Sandwich, and Sarah Wiley, 15, a sophomore from Plymouth. Tuminelli said she was inspired by a talk given by Sacred Heart graduate Ryan Thorley during a school retreat Sept. 24. Thorley is part of My Brother’s Keeper, a local volunteer Christian ministry. Prendergast said they only had 16 pairs of donated shoes by Tuesday. But on Wednesday students added to a pile on the school’s front steps, took off their own shoes and began the walk. By the end of the walk, a large pile of shoes lay on the steps – mostly white sneakers, but also boots, slippers and even heels – ready to be donated to Cradles to Crayons, a nonprofit organization that provides shoes and other items to needy children. After an opening prayer by Sister Donna Gribschaw, students headed around ca ...