Fox Chapel Garden Club had a record-setting year with its annual tennis shoe recycling program.

The volunteer group, led by co-chairs Ellen Romsaas and Susie Williams, collected 3,198 shoes from late August to early October.

It was the 15th straight year for the club’s project designed to repurpose athletic wear.

Collection boxes were set up at churches, schools, the Cooper-Siegel Community Library, sports clubs as well as fitness and therapy centers.

Romsaas said the haul was about 50% more than last year, and the club was extremely grateful to all who contributed.

“We were amazed, said Williams. “It was around a thousand shoes more than we had generally been getting. We had a short drive last year. We get thanked everywhere we go for doing it. (People) hold their shoes for it.”

The timing of the drive is no coincidence. The club launches the collection around back-to-school season to catch families cleaning out their closets.

“When we started this 15 years ago we were trying to bring young people into the fold,” Williams said. “For the first 10 years, we did it with Girl Scout troops, but that kind of canceled that due to covid.

“We put out these boxes, and they get filled immediately … . We do it because it’s so popular and people expected it and it’s successful.”

Conditions of the shoes ranged from slightly used to unwearable.

Volunteers packed 46 boxes, or 2,592 shoes, to be sent to the Nike Reuse A Shoe program, which transforms dilapidated footwear into what is called Nike Grind.

That material is made into running tracks, playground mats and other things that include rubber, foam, fiber, leather or textiles.

Since 1992, Nike Grind has recycled 130 million pounds of sneaker material, according to the company website.

More information about Nike’s recycle program is available at nike.com/a/recycle-old-shoes.

The Fox Chapel Garden Club divided the remaining 303 pairs of shoes that were wearable between the Free Store in Braddock and Second Harvest Thrift Store in Sharpsburg.

“We switch around who they’ve been given to,” Williams said of the shoe distribution. “Second Harvest is a relatively new store and our members volunteer there.”

Second Harvest Executive Director Bonnie DeMotte said this was the first year her store was involved in the shoe recycling drive, and commended the garden club for its support.

“They have been supporters in the past,” DeMotte said. “Many of the garden club members volunteer here, so it was kind of a natural partnership. They usually get shoes that have a lot of life left, that are in good condition that we can sell off for profits for the community. We get a lot of shoes donated to us that are not in good condition that we pass on to them for their recycling.

“We’re thrilled (to be a part of this). Our mission is about sustainability and reuse, and it’s exciting to see another organization take up that flag and spread that message as well.”

More information about garden club activities and how to join is available at foxchapelgardenclub.org.