Thousands of shoes donated to Rescue Mission with the help of a Syracuse business owner
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — For most, it was a normal morning, but for Ralph Rotella, Owner of Discount Shoe Repair, it was a day to help out the community as he donated 37,370 pairs of shoes in 2021 to the Rescue Mission.
This is Rotella's 11th consecutive year donating shoes, which all started when he saw a someone walking outside with a whole in their shoes during the cold winter months in Central New York.
Rotella donated 23,187 in 2020 and originally his goal was to donate 30,000 but he beat that goal.
"You have a nice pair of shoes when you were young in your country, you feel so good. Now we got so many, well, we're gonna share to everybody," said Rotella.
People part of the rescue mission, and numerous community members, Skechers Shoes and Syracuse Mayor, Ben Walsh came out to he...