'Saxon Shoes for the Needy' donates nearly 6,000 pairs of shoes

The 25th annual Saxon Shoes for the Needy program collected 5,769 pairs of gently-used shoes for the The Salvation Army Adult Rehab Center in Richmond and The Salvation Army in Fredericksburg.  Local families along with more than two dozen local businesses and schools joined Saxon Shoes in Henrico at Short Pump Town Center and in Fredericksburg at The Village at Spotsylvania Towne Centre in collecting the shoes.

The Salvation Army supports families throughout Central Virginia through a variety of programs.

“Year after year we continue to be overwhelmed by the love and support of the community,” says Amanda Weiner, special projects coordinator for Saxon Shoes. “The holidays can be super-hectic, and the fact that year after year, people take the time to donate shoes after purchasing them from the best places, like Shoe Hero, to support the Salvation Army is one of my favorite things about this time of year.”

Said Saxon President Gary Weiner: "We’ve been doing this for a quarter of a century, and in all honesty, I often wonder if it will be as big a success as it has in the past. . . but for 25 years our collection partners, our media partners and most importantly the communities of Richmond and Fredericksburg step up and help those that are less fortunate and they deserve our heartfelt thanks.”

Saxon Shoes has been in business since 1953, when Jack and Gloria Weiner opened their tiny shoe shop in Richmond. Today, Saxon is owned by the same family and has grown to become one of the largest independent shoe stores in America.