Above: Julia Meeker, a third-grader at Wardsboro Elementary School, tries on a new pair of shoes that was donated by the Stratton Foundation on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Photo by
WARDSBORO — With joyous looks, students from Wardsboro Elementary School gazed at their new shoes, donated to them recently by the Stratton Foundation.
Jennifer Finaldi, the administrative assistant at Wardsboro Elementary School, said that being located in Wardsboro, the rural landscape makes it hard for families to find time to go shoe shopping.
“Kids are growing out of their sneakers coming to me telling me their sneakers don’t fit. They’re coming in here wearing Crocs for physical education,” said Finaldi. “When the Stratton Foundation offers this Head-to-Toe program, it’s just an amazing time, because they desperately need them.”