Published October 24. 2025 09:46AM
The Parkway Manor Elementary School is conducting a used school drive to raise funds for students as well as provide shoes for citizens of disadvantaged countries.
The program is a Scout project by Michael Pascal, a seventh grader at Springhouse Middle School, as part of his scout service project merit badge: Citizenship in Community Merit Badge.
The goal is to collect 15,000 pairs of shoes which will be sold to micro entrepreneurs in developing countries to support their families, helping them step out of poverty.
Additionally, by donating the shoes rather than throwing them away, prevents them from landing in landfills.
Some, but not all the countries receiving shoes include Cambodia, Botswana and Ukraine.
To date, he, his family and volunteers have collected more than 4,000 pairs with donation boxes available throughout the Parkland School District.
Donations will be accepted until Oct. 31.
Bracy Construction Inc., 4240 Tilghman St., is donating space in their facility for storage of the gathered shoes.
PRESS PHOTOS BY LOU WHEELANDMike and Michael Pascal carry bags of donated shoes from the Parkway Manor Elementary School to Bracy Construction, 4240 Tilghman St., South Whitehall, on Oct. 3.
Michael Pascal, Scout Troop 12 First Presbyterian Church, carries a bag of donated shoes into the warehouse at Bracy Construction, Inc. as his scout project is to collect a total 15,000 shoes before Oct. 31. The shoes will be sold and sent to underdeveloped countries to help citizens out of poverty.
Ava Pascal, a fourth grader at Parkway Manor Elementary School poses with mascot PJ Panther in front of more than 4,000 shoes donated to find their way to underdeveloped countries where micro entrepreneurs will sell them. The school will benefit from the sale and buy supplies for the children.
Families and friends pile on the more than 4,000 shoes collected by Parkway Manor Elementary School for sale to other countries. The helpers include: Mike Pascal, Courtney Wedge, Desiree Pascal, Vincent Pascal, Harlow Wedge, Ava Pascal, Scott Reis, Michael Pascal, Matty Puchyr, Parkway Manor mascot PJ Panther and Asli Puchyr. And no top, Bella and Fiona Puchyr, Charlotte Wedge and Harper Reis.
