What excites you and makes you anxious to get up each morning?  What are you so passionate about that you would feel empty without it?  What is your why?

As an educator for over 21 years, I often think about this.  Why do I get up every morning?  It’s simple.  My why is so that I can serve the children of our community.  With a partnership with Samaritan’s Feet, Team Selma had an amazing opportunity to do this last week. 

“Samaritan’s Feet serves and inspires hope in children by providing shoes as the foundation to a spiritual and healthy life resulting in the advancement of education and economic opportunities.”  Every year, this amazing organization provides shoes and socks thousands of children across the world.  For the second time in as many years, they blessed us by coming to Selma.

We served the kindergarten and first-graders at two of our elementary schools.  This included removing their shoes and socks, washing their feet and clothing them with new socks and shoes.  Samaritan’s Feet provided all the supplies, from shoes and socks to towels and water basins. 

Team Selma provided a number of volunteers.  Members of our central office enjoyed working with the Selma University baseball team and over 20 of our Selma High School scholars.

Did you know that shoes and socks are reported to be in the top 5 of items needed by school children?  Additionally, 1.5 billion people are infected with foot-borne diseases that might be prevented by simply having shoes.  Samaritan’s Feet strives to do as much as possible to stop the spread of disease by washing feet, providing shoes, and encouraging young people.

Seeing the smiling faces of our young scholars as they received new shoes warmed my heart and validated my why.  I enjoyed chatting with several children who I personally served.  It was truly an honor.

Our scholars, families and community have many needs.  The work of Samaritan’s Feet helps.  Yet, there is much to do.  If you are looking for ways to serve, please consider working with Team Selma. 

What is your why?  We would love to help you find the answer!

For more information, email me at avis.williams@selmacityschools.org.

Dr. Avis Williams is the superintendent for Selma City Schools.