What do you do with a pair of sneakers that aren’t serving your purpose any longer but are too good to throw in the trash? At Saint Mary’s, Wesley Knauft, M.D., Chief of Anesthesiology, is happy to solve that problem for you. To assist his son, Gavin, with a school project, Dr. Knauft is collecting gently used sneakers through May 8. The project has a twofold mission; to raise funds for his school, North Haven High School, and to provide footwear for people in developing countries.
Gavin is president of the sophomore class at North Haven High. He launched the initiative in late April, with the goal of collecting as many gently worn sneakers as possible by May 8. For every 30 pairs of sneakers collected, the school will receive a designated amount of funds.
“Basically, these sneakers will be donated so people can literally have shoes on their feet,” said Dr. Knauft. “Shoes that are deemed not wearable will be recycled.”
There is a box in Dr. Knauft’s office in the Anesthesia department in Saint Mary’s Operating Room. He has already emptied the overflowing box once and is grateful for the tremendous support from colleagues.