Local Nonprofit Founder Named Dayton Volunteer Citizen of the Year

Kris Horlacher wins 2nd annual award for aiding underprivileged children

Dayton, Ohio (November 14, 2013) - In its second year, Direct Energy, along with media sponsors the Dayton Daily News and WHIO-TV, have chosen Kris Horlacher, R.N. as the Dayton Volunteer Citizen of the Year award winner. Kris is the founder of Shoes 4 the Shoeless, a nonprofit that provides new, properly fitting gym shoes, socks and underwear to local children in need.

 

Kris started out as a nurse who ran a mentoring program for underprivileged children in the Dayton area but it wasn't until three years into her program that she noticed something that changed her life: many of the children she was mentoring had tattered, ill-fitting shoes and socks. Even worse, some of those children didn't have shoes or socks at all. From that moment, she knew she had to do something and soon after, she founded Shoe 4 the Shoeless in January of 2010. Since then, Kris and her team of volunteers have given more than 17,000 children new and properly-fitting shoes, socks and underwear that they wouldn't otherwise have. Kris volunteers full-time going into Dayton schools to fit children for their shoes and socks, free of charge and without ever asking for anything in return.

Kris' goal has always been to be help children in need but she also wants to teach those same children the importance of giving back. In doing so, she created a new initiative that stems from Shoes 4 the Shoeless called ?Kindness Matters.? Many times, the children that she helps are so inspired to help others but don't have the means to do so. ?Kindness Matters? provides Shoes 4 the Shoeless children supplies to create homemade cards that are delivered to patients at the Children's Hospital of Dayton, wishing them well and brightening their days. Further, Kris has organized the first ever Shoeless Walk 4 Kids, a walk for families of all ages that will take place in the Dayton Mall on November 23rd. To register, visit shoes4theshoeless.org

By winning the Dayton Volunteer Citizen of the Year award program, Kris will receive a $1,000 cash prize and a $5,000 donation to Shoes 4 the Shoeless from Direct Energy. The donation will be used to purchase new shoes and socks from local retailers so that Shoes 4 the Shoeless can continue to assist the more than 30,000 poverty-stricken children in Dayton.

?From every aspect, Kris truly exemplifies the type of person we look for when we chose the winners of our Volunteer Citizen of the Year award programs,? said Rob Comstock, senior vice president and general manager for Direct Energy. ?We all know that children are our most precious resource and what she does for the children of Dayton is nothing short of honorable.?

A special event honoring Kris Horlacher will be held on Thursday, November 21st at 6:00 pm. Representatives from Direct Energy, the Dayton Daily News and WHIO-TV will be on hand to present Kris with her award. The event will be held at the Cox Media Group Ohio's media room at 1611 S. Main Street in Dayton, Ohio 45409.

About Cox Media Group Ohio
Cox Media Group Ohio (CMG Ohio) is a fully integrated media enterprise that includes print and online products for the Dayton Daily News, Hamilton JournalNews, Springfield News-Sun, and the Middletown Journal daily newspapers, and The Western Star, Fairfield Echo, The Oxford Press and The Pulse-Journal weekly newspapers; targeted print and online products such as ActiveDayton.com, Skywrighter, DaytonB2B, SpringfieldB2B and CinDayB2B; and broadcast properties that include WHIO-TV, a CBS affiliate, and News Talk Radio WHIO AM 1290 and 95.7FM, K99.1FM and 95.3 The Eagle.

Contact:
Julie Hendry
Direct Energy
1-412-925-6773
Julie.Hendry@directenergy.com