Over 2,500 lbs of shoes collected in Soles for Souls fundraiser

On July 14, AMVETS Post 13 member Denise Hazen, along with key volunteers and fellow Auxiliary members, presented the check and certificate to Andy Hedrick and Ronda Dempsey, the owners of the trailer that burned on Jan. 21 and took the lives of eight cats. They said the funds collected will go towards the purchase of a vehicle to get to town from their new residence.

Community members came together for the Soles for Souls fundraiser, collecting 107 filled donation bags, totaling 2,932 pounds.

Posted Wednesday, July 30, 2025 4:30 pm

By Hayley Sroka, Editor

In May, the Argus reported on the Soles for Souls fundraiser headed by Denise Hazen, an American Veterans Ladies Post 13 member. Hazen had been collaborating with Funds2Orgs to collect gently used footwear in exchange for funds. Shoes were sent off to third-world countries to provide shoes for those in need. Those funds were then given back to to Andy Hedrick and Ronda Dempsey, victims of a house fire on Jan. 21, 2025. Funds raised would go towards recovery costs.
This sparked the Soles for Souls fundraiser, which was named in honor of the cats who lost their lives in the fire.
Many hours and miles went into this fundraiser from the numerous volunteers. AMVET members Dale and Dawn Fadrow helped store the filled donation bags. On June 20, a group of 20 volunteers gathered to fill the last of 107 bags, each with 25 pairs of shoes, to be loaded on the Funds2Orgs truck. The total weight of these bags amounted to 2,932 pounds, which was reimbursed at 0.40 cents a pound. In total, the Soles for Souls fundraiser netted $1,172.80 for the family.
The community and over 33 locations participated as collection sites for the shoes. Over 40 volunteers were directly involved in the fundraiser, from sorting to bagging. Denise, Andy, and Ronda appreciate all the efforts of anyone that helped in any way.
Soles for Souls shows that when the community comes together, you can achieve anything!