Collecting shoes to fill a big dream

Abby and Bailee D'Amore would like other children to walk in their shoes.
And these two, a fourth- and a third-grader at Roosevelt Elementary School in McDonald, are hoping their friends will feel the same way.
Working with Northeast Ohio Adoption Services, Abby and Bailee are collecting new or slightly worn shoes to raise awareness about the 6,000 children in Ohio hoping to be adopted.
"My friends and I are telling people about kids that need to be adopted," Abby shares. "I don't know what it would be like not to have a family. A family protects you and helps you with your problems. I think it's good for kids to bring in their shoes. And many shoes will show that there are many kids who need help finding a family."
How the girlsbecame involved
The girls became aware of the shoe drive through their mother, who works at NOAS in Warren.
"Abby is like my personal assistant at home," Pam D'Amore says with a chuckle. "When I told her about the program she ran with it, telling all her friends and reminding them to bring in their shoes."
"I have a lot of shoes so I thought maybe some of my friends do, too," Abby shares her reasoning.
"We've filled up a couple of big bins already. A lot of kids here have shoes they don't need."
The bins are filled with tennis shoes, dress shoes and boots.
"Pretty much all kinds," Abby surmises.
While Abby has been busy rallying support for the program and managing collection of the shoes in her personal assistant-turned-managerial style, Bailee has taken a less aggressive approach.
"Have you told all your friends to bring in shoes, too?" I ask. Bailee shakes her head.
"Not really," she says shyly.
For Bailee, this is more a matter of the heart.
"My mom showed me a book of kids that are waiting to be adopted," Bailee says, tears welling up in her eyes.
"A lot were going to be taken out [of the book] because they are too told."
The thought of the children in the book overwhelmed the girls.
"If I didn't have a family ... I don't know ...," Abby said, thinking about the idea. "It's hard to imagine."
Bailee simply shakes her head, the tears welling up in her eyes once again.
Book opens eyesto the situation
"It's a whole world that the public is not aware of," says Mike Kenney, marketing coordinator for NOAS in Garfield Heights.
"When they see the book, they realize that could be their neighbor."
"There is so much that we take for granted that our parents do for us," Mike shares.
"All of us need a place to go to for Thanksgiving, someone to give us dish towels and send us a birthday card. These kids need that, too."
Referring to the children who turn 18 and are taken out of "the book," Mike says, "When I'm 25 or 30, I still want someone to call when I have a problem or just need to talk."
Six thousand children in Ohio are waiting for that someone.
To show just how many children that is, NOAS is collecting 6,000 shoes from Abby and Bailee's shoe drive at Roosevelt school as well as various groups and organizations throughout Northeast Ohio.
On Nov. 20, the shoes will be displayed in Public Square in Cleveland.
"We will place the shoes in rows to represent kids as if they were standing among us," Mike explains.
Beginning at noon, the first names and ages will be read of the thousands of children in Northeast Ohio who need a family.
Among those shoes placed in rows will be several pairs that belonged to Abby and Bailee D'Amore.
Their hope is that their shoes will be filled with the happy feet of children walking with their moms and dads.
gwhite@vindy.com
XShoes can be dropped off between 8:30 and 4:30 at NOAS, 5000 E. Market St., Warren. To learn more about no-fee adoption, call NOAS at (800) 686-6627 or go to www.noas.com.