Friends and Family,

  

It’s that time of year again!!  Our yearly fundraising for Ashley’s Kicks for Kids in memory of our dear Ashley has begun. This is the time where we ask all those who are able and willing to give to Ashley’s Kicks for Kids. When you give your generous donation, one hundred percent of your monetary donation goes directly in buying new tennis shoes for Ashley’s Kicks for Kids, and then we distribute to local students in need in Sioux Falls. We are a federally recognized tax exempt charitable organization, under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are tax deductible. When we receive the monetary donations I go online and into area stores, buy new tennis shoes, and get the sizes we need.  If you would like to buy shoes instead of a monetary donation, we need sizes 11 little kid  to 7 grade school size in girls and boys and I will pick them up directly from you. If you would like to donate monetary donations, which works great as it allows me to go buy exactly what we need, you can go to ashleyskicksforkids.com/giving and click on the donate button to donate through PayPal. Or if you would rather send a check, please send to Ashley’s Kicks for Kids, 2404 E Stanton Dr, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 and make check directly out to Ashley’s Kicks for Kids. Again 100% of the donations go to AKFK’s.

 

We started Ashley’s Kicks for Kids in December of 2014. Over the last 9 years we have donated around 175 pairs of shoes each year to the Jane Adams Immersion Center, several hundred to Cleveland Elementary School the last 5 years, a 3rd grade classroom at Hayward Elementary the last three years and last year we  did all four of the 3rd grade classrooms at Hayward Elementary.  Three summers ago  we were able to partner with the Salvation Army in Madison SD in their back to school event, in giving over 200 shoes to area Lake County children in need. We were able to to buy basketball shoes for the Rosa Parks Wildcat basketball teams last year and this year. We were also able to donate 200 pairs of new tennis shoes to the East River Foster Care Parent Network January of 2022.

 

Ashley’s Kicks for kids has brought our family much joy in giving students a new pair of tennis shoes. I found this quote from Ashley in a paper she had written in her first year of college and it is very fitting and telling of her beautiful soul. “I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS SOMEONE GREAT, NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS.” Ashley Ann Engel. I think what we have done in starting Ashley’s Kicks for Kids continues on Ashley being remembered as an amazingly wonderful young woman. Nothing more, nothing less. Please consider donating to Ashley’s Kicks and give a new pair of tennis shoes to a student in need and feel the joy of giving.

 

Blessings,

Joel, Jolene and Allison Engel

Joel III, Amanda, Lila, and Joel IV