Boys and Girls Club kids get new shoes for summer in Kootenai County
More than 450 Boys and Girls Club kids left with new athletic shoes and socks, a summer giveaway meant to boost confidence and lighten family budgets.
A new pair of shoes gave children at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Kootenai County something bigger than a back-to-school basic: a faster stride into summer, and more confidence along the way. More than 600 pairs of shoes and 1,000 pairs of socks were laid out for the annual giveaway, with about 40 volunteers helping fit children at the Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls clubs.
The effort was coordinated by Rita Case, president and chief executive of Rick Case Automotive Group, working with Soles4Souls Inc. Case created the summer shoe program nine years ago after deciding local children needed more than a handout. She built it around a simple idea: children with well-fitting shoes are more likely to join sports, attend school and walk in feeling comfortable in their own skin.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Kootenai County said the giveaway was expected to serve well over 450 kids, with any remaining pairs set aside for children who join in July. The clubs serve youth ages 6 to 18 and say their mission is to help young people, especially those who need it most, reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.
The shoes went to children at the Lola and Duane Hagadone Boys & Girls Club and administrative offices at 925 N. 15th Street in Coeur d’Alene, as well as the Jordan Johnson Club at 200 W. Mullan Avenue in Post Falls. Executive Director Mark Kuhnhausen said the new shoes help children leave feeling like they can jump higher and run faster, and he said it is fun to watch them enjoy something so simple that still makes a real difference.
The giveaway has become a regular part of the club’s calendar, alongside another seasonal effort Case supports: an annual winter coat-and-boot drive. In prior years, the local shoe program distributed 500 shoes and 1,000 socks in 2025, and 450 pairs of shoes with 900 pairs of Bombas socks in 2023. Case also founded a similar shoe effort in Broward County, Florida, where Boys & Girls Club members have received new athletic shoes through the Soles4Souls 4EveryKid program.
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