Lawrence C. Vargas Shoes 4 Kids

On May 14th FF Random Acts teamed up with the Vargas family to give 277 children from Lew Wallace Elementary School brand new shoes. The event was planned in honor of the Vargas' son, Lawrence Charles Vargas who was tragically murdered in Albuquerque in 2008. Lawrence Charles had a passion to give shoes to children who needed them, often without their knowing the source of the gift. The family allowed Random Acts to assist them in raising funds for over a year in preparation for the event through the sale of the family's art. Many people who knew the Vargas family from all over the United States made donations as well as many people who heard about the project and pitched in.

City Councilor Ken Sanchez and County Commissioner Art De La Cruz were on hand at the event to co-sponsor and lend their support. Mark Blea, District Manager of Payless Shoe Source, and his team at the Rio Bravo and Isleta Payless Shoe Source generously discounted shoes while Herrera Bus Company graciously donated the buses to transport the children from Lew Wallace Elementary to the store. Parents and staff from Lew Wallace trucked in bus after bus of children until all 277 students had gone in and picked out their own pair of new shoes.

Terry Vargas, who teaches at Lew Wallace, hopes not only to honor and carry on the memory of her son but also to instill in the children a spirit of generosity and kindness that her son embodied. The family hopes this is just the beginning of the program and plans to form their own Non-profit to expand and continue blessing the children of Albuquerque.