Fans of William & Mary basketball will have the opportunity to participate in the game more than just as a member of the audience.
On Jan. 9, C&F Bank, William & Mary, FISH and Chick-fil-a have partnered for the 6th annual Shoeless Showdown at Kaplan Arena.
The Shoeless Showdown allows guests to bring in a pair of shoes for donation and receive a free ticket to the game, a voucher for a free Chick-fil-a sandwich, a $10 voucher toward a new C&F checking account and a ticket to a choice of two upcoming William & Mary games.
The two games will be against Towson on Jan. 25 or Drexel on Feb. 13.
This is only FISH’s second year of participating in the event but last year they were able to collect more than 600 shoes, said Gene Bruss, president of FISH. This year, he said the goal is to reach around 700 pairs of shoes.
“For us, 600 pairs of shoes was a goldmine,” he said. “Shoes are one of the critical pieces of outfits we provide.”
FISH is a local nonprofit that provides resources such as food and clothing to those in need in the Williamsburg area.
The shoes needed by FISH are mainly a variety of children’s shoes. Bruss said children’s shoes are difficult to keep in stock, especially in the different sizes. But the organization is happy to accept all kinds of shoes, from sneakers to dress shoes.
“It’s very difficult for us to keep a stock of all sizes of shoes, which we attempt to do, so giving us a bulk number of shoes like that gives us a wide range,” Bruss said. “That way, whoever comes in, we have a wide range that will fit all people.”
The game will be against UNC Wilmington at 7 p.m. at the Kaplan Arena. For those who are unable to attend the game, shoes for donation can be dropped off at any C&F Bank in Williamsburg.
“We are thrilled to be the benefactor of the shoes and are looking forward to distributing the shoes to those in need in our area,” Bruss said in news release from C&F Bank.
