DAVIDSON, N.C. -- In the conclusion to "Kicks From 'Cats: The Andrew Lovedale Shoe Drive," a group of nearly 15 volunteers will travel with Samaritan's Feet Friday to Nigeria to distribute the 10,500 pairs of shoes collected.

The group, which includes Davidson basketball players Andrew Lovedale and Frank Ben-Eze, Davidson staff members Lauren Biggers (assistant sports information director) and Morgan Clark (assistant director of marketing), as well as Ron Hunter (head men's basketball coach at IUPUI), Sue Semrau (head women's basketball coach at Florida State), Kyle Whelliston of The Mid-Majority, Samaritan's Feet founder Manny and several Davidson students, alumni and fans, will be distributing the shoes in both Legos and Benin City, Nigeria, June 5-15.

The team will also be hosting basketball clinics and partnering with a local medical ministry, Pro-Health International.

Team members will be sharing their experiences, as internet access allows, on "A View From Press Row."

The trip is the conclusion to a project started in February, when Samaritan’s Feet, a non-profit organization dedicated to changing lives through Shoes of Hope distributions around the world, donated 10,000 pairs of shoes to Kicks from ’Cats.

Intended for distribution to children and young adults, the shoes were collected in Kicks from ’Cats—the Andrew Lovedale Shoe Drive at February's BracketBusters basketball game against Butler. Fans attending the game also contributed rally towels, jerseys, basketballs and other gear, as well as thousands of dollars to help cover the cost of shipping the shoes. Davidson students, faculty, staff and other volunteers sorted the shoes and prepared them for shipping Feb. 25.

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