A Newtown middle school student is proving that you're never too young to effect change.
Seventh grader Connor Vignola is collecting shoes for those in need and trying to make a difference in a town that has suffered.
"I like helping people and I think this is a great way to do that," Connor said.
He's only 12 years old, but there's no end in sight to Connor's ambition. With help from funds2orgs, which partners with schools and non-profits to raise money, Connor is collecting shoes and distributing them to people in developing countries.
"I've always wanted to make a change in the world and this organization would help me," Connor said. "It's helping them start a business and learn how economics will affect their life. My goal is 10,000 pairs."
Already, he has collected 450 pairs of shoes to donate.
"I kind of miss my garage now that it's winter and it's filling up with shoes," Connor's father, Eric Vignola, joked.
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Vignola said the learning experience will prove invaluable for his son, who is observing first-hand "how you can create change and you can do things that are a little more substantial."
The project carries extra weight given the tragic events the Newtown community has overcome since the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School two years ago.
"It's been tough for these past almost two years and I try to put my mind off of it and think of the better things," Connor said.
His father said the key is to put one foot in front of the next and remember the good that can come out of such darkness.
"You focus on the positive and that's one of the things that I share with him," Vignola said.
Connor is still asking for more gently used shoes to be donated at Newtown Middle School as well as at the Board of Education office.
The Board of Education has recognized Connor with a certificate of achievement.
