Over 8,250 Shoes Donated to Children in Need

 Over the past several months The Little Gym of Gainesville and Soles4Souls have turned to the people of Gainesville and nearby Northern Virginia communities to help collect shoes for children in need.  The shoes were shipped last week and a whopping 8,250 shoes were collected locally!

The Little Gym of Gainesville franchise owner, Chad Mussmon, his family and local community members, packaged, box-up and loaded the truck with the donated shoes.  Mr. Mussmon then delivered the truck filled with shoes to New Jersey, where Soles4Souls leaders were waiting to collect the shoes and distribute the donated shoes across the world to people in need!

The Little Gym of Gainesville owner, Chad Mussmon was quoted saying, “It’s not only great to see how many people have come out to donate shoes over the past few months, but it’s really awesome to see the children helping package and transport the shoes – they really get an understanding of why donating to others is so important.”

The Little Gym International and Soles4Souls teamed up nationwide.  The total number of shoes collected across the nation was a little over 42,000 pairs of shoes.  The collected shoes will protect children from harsh conditions, disease and enable them to attend school as well.

Thanks to the community members who donated shoes or helped box and ship them to the children in need!

Splish and Splash Safety
Enjoying some time splashing in the water is a great way to beat the summer heat! The pool and beach offer hours of entertainment for kids of all ages!
 
While you're enjoying the water, be sure to take the appropriate steps to keep your child safe this summer. Every day, two children die from accidental drowning -- which is the second leading cause of death for children ages one to 14.
 
Follow these simple guidelines when your child is near the water:
 
1. Never leave your child unsupervised when he or she is near any water; this includes lakes, pools, bathtubs, hot tubs and even shallow pools of water.
 
2. Empty all buckets immediately after use and store them upside-down and out of reach of your child.
 
3. Teach your child to swim -- get them started with age-appropriate swim classes in your community.
 
4. Never rely on flotation devices alone to keep your child safe in the water.
 
5. Small children should be accompanied by an adult when swimming.
 
6. Teach your child to use the buddy system and instruct them to never go near water alone.
 
7. Adults and kids over the age of 13 should learn infant and child CPR.
Don't forget to have a fun and safe summer!
 
By the way, visit www.thelittlegymgps.com to revieve a special $20 discount on the Amber Alert GPS tracking system.
What has motherhood brought to your life?
What has motherhood brought to your life? This article on Time.com breaks down why it’s so great to be a mom. Plus, I thought they provided a wonderfully accurate description of how I generally feel watching my kids grow and develop at The Little Gym.
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