FORSYTH, Ill. (WAND) - Forty area children now have new pairs of shoes, due to the generosity of a Decatur man.
Marty Watkins bought the shoes for the children Wednesday afternoon at Shoe Department Encore in Forsyth's Hickory Point Mall. It's the fourth straight year he's done the "Walk In My Shoes" event.
"I just wanted to be able to give something back to the community, especially to our kids," Watkins said. "With shoes, it's something that they can look down on their feet, and say 'these are mine', and they last a long time."
Ashleigh Kimmons of Decatur said her kids were enjoying selecting their new shoes.
"They are real excited," she said, laughing. "(I've) been chasing them all over this place."
This year, the kids came from Decatur's South Shores Elementary School and Garfield Montessori Magnet School.
"The kids are super excited when they find out they're coming shoe-shopping," said Garfield Principal Mary Anderson. "I don't tell them ahead of time because they will be relentless in asking me, 'When am I going? When am I going?' They're so proud when they come back to school wearing their new shoes or boots."
Watkins said this is his way of trying to help children. He recalls an older couple that bought him shoes when he was a small child, and now he's continuing the tradition, and hoping someday one of these kids may do the same.
"It's very important that we start teaching our children how to give back," Watkins said. "And no matter where they may end up in life, one of these kids are gonna look back and say, 'You know what, someone did it for me, and I want to do it for someone else.'"
The Golden Kiwanis of Decatur also contributed funds toward the shoes.
