September 9, 2021 – Wisconsin Rapids, WI – Allenton firefighter Ron Naab has been involved in collecting shoes the past few weeks in an effort to pay tribute to 9/11 heroes during a special Soles for Souls Memorial service at the Wisconsin Firefighters and EMS Memorial (WFEM)/Ben Hanson Park, 2031 Second Avenue S., Wisconsin Rapids, WI.
Soles for Souls, was created to honor the eight EMTs/paramedics and 343 FDNY
firefighters that perished September 11, 2001.
This year is the 20th anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center, and the goal was to collect at least 351 pairs of shoes in remembrance of those that lost their lives that day.
Gordie Boucher has been the collection site for the shoes in West Bend. Naab has also been taking shoe donations at his home.
On September 11, all shoes will be taken to the Wisconsin State Firefighters and EMS Memorial Park in Wisconsin Rapids. Cash donations will be given to Wisconsin Firefighters & EMS Memorial to help expand the Wall of Honor.
A memorial service will be held at noon. The public is invited to attend. Those who wish to bring donated shoes directly to the event should have them at the gazebo before 11 a.m.
According to Naab, they have collected over 1,000 pairs of shoes from fire departments from Green Bay to Waukesha to Pittsville along with many businesses.
The general public is invited to attend this special program. Noon was selected as the event time in order to allow others to go back to their hometowns and continue this special day of remembrance. The program for the event is as follows:
For more information, contact Ron Naab at rjnaab@gmail.com or John Sponholz at sponie.536@sbcglobal.net.
Cash donations may be made out to GUF ATR (“shoes” in memo line) and mailed to P.O. Box 333, Allenton, WI 53002.
