UK Coaches, Ky. officials partner with Samaritan’s Feet for shoe giveaway

PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (WSAZ) - Flood victims on Tuesday received a visit in Floyd County from University of Kentucky Coach John Calipari, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, and other coaches from UK as they gave away shoes at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park.

Hundreds of families lined up for the shoe giveaway. Gov. Andy Beshear, Coach Cal, Samaritan’s Feet, and Hanes all partnered up to bring 10,000 pairs of socks and shoes to eastern Kentucky.

2,500 of those shoes and socks were distributed to families in Prestonsburg, Tuesday.

“To see these kids light up today after weeks of destabilization,” said Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman. “A tiny moment in a long period of uncertainty for them, where you get to see them smile.”

The coaches washed kids feet and gave them each a brand new pair of socks and shoes.

“What you’ll see is it’s hard for them to even look up right now,” said Coach Calipari. “This is for the kids, and hopefully we continue to help.”

The symbolic act showed they want to serve the families in need.

“That moment of humility for these coaches to be able to be servant leaders and to show these kids and these families that this is what leadership is truly about,” said Coleman.

The time the coaches spent with the kids, meant a lot to Charles McAllister, who lost everything in the flood and has been living at the park.

“You could tell everybody’s spirit just changed for the better. Everybody had smiles on their face,” he said.

He said it was a moment of relief and gave him motivation to push forward for his pregnant fiancé and four children.

“I was feeling pretty down, and just talking to him the kind words he’d spoken just brightened my day made me feel better,” said McAllister.

Nearly 2,500 pairs of shoes and socks were also distributed in Perry County.

There will be a second shipment of 5,000 more pairs of shoes and socks in the coming weeks.

Officials say leftover items from the events will be donated at the discretion of the governor’s office to families in need.

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