Results from the Shoe Wars at PAHS and PAES have been announced as follows:  Mr. Bienkowski’s 7th grade homeroom won the war at the high school by a landslide.  The school’s total donation was 160 pairs.  The elementary school’s 6th graders in Mrs. Orner’s room collected 48 pairs of shoes to win the contest and the school’s total was 263 pairs.  The winning homerooms each received a donut party to thank them for their hard work.  

The Port Allegany School District held the contest to help the Port Allegany United Methodist Church with their shoe drive fundraiser.  The church’s goal is 90 bags of shoes.  The Shoe Wars collection added to the 52 bags already collected from the community and helped move the church to 70 bags total.  Twenty more bags are needed for UMC to reach their goal of 90 bags.  Donations will continue to be accepted through the end of February. 

The shoes will go to Funds2Orgs and a check will be issued to UMC for their collection of shoes.  All donated shoes will then be redistributed throughout the Fund2Orgs network of small business partners. 

Funds2Orgs works with micro-entrepreneurs in helping them create, maintain and grow small businesses in developing countries where economic opportunity and jobs are limited.  Proceeds from the sales of the shoes collected in shoe drive fundraisers are used to help feed, clothe, and house the families of the entrepreneurs.   One budding entrepreneur in Haiti even earned enough to send her son to law school, program officials said.  By donating gently worn, used and new shoes to Port Allegany UMC, the shoes will be given a second chance and make a difference in people’s lives around the world. 

Organizer for the UMC fundraiser is Michael “Buck” Barnard.  For more information or questions concerning the shoe drive, contact Barnard at 814-598-3847.  Remember that donations will be accepted through February 29.  There are bins located in the church parking lot at 307 N. Main Street, Port Allegany.

Port Allegany UMC would like to thank the PASD administration – Mr. Budd, Mr. Kio and Mr. Buchsen, the NHS, the Sixth Level teachers and all of the families who donated.  The collection surpassed all expectations.