A kicker whose foot is a major weapon for the No. 1-ranked Mount Union football team is helping put shoes – thousands of them – on the feet of needy people around the world.

Jay Carpenter led a Fellowship of Christian Athletes service project this fall to benefit Soles4Souls, an organization that through the years has collected more than 1 million pairs of shoes for relief efforts ranging from the aftermath of a killer tsunami in Asia to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the United States.

“We were fortunate to find a charitable organization that fit perfectly with our group’s aspirations,” says Carpenter, explaining that Mount Union FCA members wanted “to make a difference in the world.” The organization has distributed shoes in more than 125 countries and 30 American states.

The Purple Raider student-athletes set an ambitious goal of collecting 1,500 pairs of shoes, then, with the help of local elementary school students and other supporters, collected 4,000 pairs and also raised $2,000 selling shoelaces – purple ones, of course.

“Donations have been made from three different states – Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia,” Carpenter said. “Along with the support from students and faculty at MUC, the Alliance (Ohio) community has been an integral part of this service project. By uniting multiple communities with Mount Union student organizations, this project has generated enough shoes to positively impact thousands of lives.”

Carpenter, a biology major who handles both place-kicking and punting duties for the Purple Raiders, spent much time on promotional activities ranging from creating a video on YouTube to meeting with Mount Union student groups and visiting elementary schools and churches to distribute letters and flyers.

The three-time Ohio Athletic Conference all-academic kicker said one Alliance school, Parkway Elementary, held a competition among pupils who collected 796 pairs of shoes for the project.

The student-athlete group also encouraged Mount Union students to return from fall break with shoes for donation, and asked them to go shoeless for one day on campus. It also conducted a shoe drive at a home football game November 7.

“An event like this helps you appreciate the little things in life and discover how much is taken for granted, such as footwear,” said Carpenter, whose team Saturday will seek to extend its 27-game winning streak – best in the nation – and stay on course for its 11^th national title in 13 seasons against Albright in a Division III Football Championship quarterfinal game.

“Seeing the collaborative effort from Mount Union College student organizations, area churches and surrounding communities has been a very moving experience,” he said.

Carpenter has at least one more moving experience still ahead of him, as all 4,000 pairs of shoes are stored in a garage near his apartment.

He hopes to travel somewhere in the world as a volunteer to help deliver the shoes for Soles4Souls.