Alton Multi-Sport Athlete Initiates Major One-Day Shoe Collection Fundraiser

ALTON - If you have old athletic shoes to get rid of, Alton High School junior Allison Pruitt and some friends are organizing a major one-day shoe drive on May 2, 2026, at Alton High School to collect paired tennis shoes for a fundraiser benefiting vision and hearing programs and services while keeping sneakers out of landfills.

Other key volunteers at the event will be some of Pruitt's close friends - Lydia Schrumpf, Caroline Cannon, and McKenna Dondanville.

The drive is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 2, 2026, with drop-off at the Alton High School parking lot, 4200 Humbert Road, Alton, Illinois, 62002. Pruitt is hosting the event in cooperation with the Lions of Illinois Association and the Got Sneakers organization.

“I am really excited, hoping for a good turnout and a lot of donated shoes," Pruitt said.

Pruitt said she loves community service work and that motivated her to organize the drive.

“Community service means a lot to me; I haven't done as much as I want in the past because I am a year-round athlete. I needed a way to give back, and my dad thought about something involving shoes, and then we came up with this drive."

Organizers said tennis shoes in any condition will be accepted, but only paired tennis shoes should be donated. Paired sneakers tied by the laces are welcome, according to information from Pruitt. The nicer the sneaker, the larger the donation, organizers said. The girls are also collecting old key fobs, eyeglasses, cell phones, hearing aids, and ink cartridges at the event.

Pruitt said she hopes to fill four parking stalls with athletic shoes. She said classmates will help on collection day, and cones and signs will direct traffic.

The Lions of Illinois Foundation said proceeds will support vision and hearing efforts and reduce waste.

“The two causes for the support are donating sneakers, which provides support for our vision and hearing program and services, while also keeping sneakers out of landfills,” the Lions of Illinois Foundation said about the fundraiser.

Organizers said better-condition shoes will be resold, with money going to camp for people who are hearing and vision-impaired, while lesser-condition shoes will be recycled, and materials will be used for playground equipment.

Pruitt has been a member of Alton High’s cross country, basketball, and track programs. She competed in track last year in the 4x800 relay and 4x400 relay and was a junior and a cross country and basketball athlete for the Redbirds.

“This is definitely one of the biggest things I have ever organized and I think in the end, it will be really beneficial to a bunch of people,” Pruitt said.

Pruitt also credited Alton Superintendent Elaine Kane and Lions representative Rob Wirth with inspiring her to work on the project.

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