The Loyola High School Facilities Department partnered with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) for the fourth year to collect shoes for Operation Shoes from Santa. This year Loyola students and faculty donated 90 pairs of shoes to underprivileged children in the LAPD Olympic station neighborhood. The shoe drive was held from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4.

Students and faculty members dropped off the shoes at either the Campus Ministry office, the Community Service office or several curb drop-off locations throughout campus. The shoes requested by the LAPD were for school-aged youth with shoe sizes from one to seven and five to nine. All of the shoes collected were brought to the LAPD station on Olympic Blvd. and Vermont Ave. The LAPD then donated the shoes to underprivileged schools in the area.

Loyola Security Supervisor Mr. Abel Galarza was the main contact for the shoe drive on campus. Mr. Galarza said, “The shoe drive was a great opportunity for the Loyola community to help the surrounding underprivileged community. The LAPD knows the needs of the community more than we do and can help to get the students in need of shoes together. Students of Loyola were a resource to provide the underprivileged with shoes.”

Freshman Emmett Pernecky, who participated in the drive, said, “I found it very fulfilling to give shoes to those in need of them.”

Senior Matt Richmond said, “My family and I donated shoes that we bought for this occasion. We thought this was the least we could do to give back to the community around Loyola.”

Sophomore Collin Saydah said “My family and I donated a lot of shoes because we believe it was the right thing to do. I feel accomplished that I participated in this event and I am looking forward to participating in another drive.”