A local resident who commutes to Raleigh to work as a state marshal at the N.C. Supreme Court was recently engaging in fundraising to help the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tar River Region.
Ricky Parks was at the clubs’ first-ever Wine, Women & Shoes fundraising event wearing a black shirt and black pant, with the lettering on his shirt identifying him as a “Shoe Guy.”
“So, that is my side job,” Parks said of why he participated in this fundraising effort. “That’s my side job, to keep giving and doing all we can to help the people that need us most.”
Parks was commenting in an interview after he won the title of “The King of Sole” at the Wine, Women & Shoes event, which was last week at the Rocky Mount Event Center.
The title came after it was announced to the event’s attendees that Parks had raised more than $4,400 to help the nonprofit organization.
Parks said that he got a late start engaging in the fundraising effort, and with six days to do so, he asked for contributions from people, not businesses.
Parks said that he had set a goal at first to raise $1,500 but that, due to the tremendous response he received, he upped the goal to $2,500 before upping the goal to $3,500.
“I mean, there’s no better way to give your money than to a cause like this to help our future,” Parks said.
Parks said he sent out massive amounts of text messages prior to the fundraising deadline saying, “Help me reach my ultimate goal of $5,000.”
Parks noted that he almost made it to the ultimate goal and said it shows people have trust and confidence in the leadership of the regional Boys & Girls Clubs.
Parks was wearing silver shoes that Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert let him borrow for the event.
Parks and many other attendees also were wearing flashing rings, with the rings designed to showcase the gathering’s signature prize: A trip to Mexico.
“I didn’t bid, but I was asked to help recruit people to go bid,” Parks said.
So, Parks said, he used the rings to get attention and send attendees to a table so they could bid.
The early part of the event gave attendees a shopping and sipping experience in a marketplace of a variety of products. That was followed by a dinner, auctions and a fashion show.
The event replaced the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tar River Region having had a gathering celebrating the annual Kentucky Derby Day.
As for his thoughts of the organization having the Wine, Women & Shoes event, Parks said, “Oh, it’s cool.”
Parks said that this was the first time he had ever seen an event like this and that he believes this is something the regional Boys & Girls Clubs can continue to do and build upon.
“And it’ll get bigger each year because I think once people learn how successful it is, how well-put-together it is — and it’s top-notch, first-class — I think more people will come in the future,” he said.
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