2009 Holiday Photos

The Krewe of Alegria was formed in 1986 by Dianne Henry and Dyann “Rocky” Valdez. We were at inception and continue to be an all women’s civic organization made up of professional women in the Tampa Bay Area. We were a small group in the early years but active in a variety of community events including volunteer service.

As the Krewe of Alegria became larger and was incorporated as Alegria Group, Inc. in 2004. As we became more established and visible in the community, members were asking to do more service and were willing to use personal resources to do so. Dianne Henry, an owner and operator of day schools in the Tampa area witnessed firsthand that many children were in need of proper shoes. Children were coming to her day school with shoes that were too big, too small, in poor condition and in extreme cases they were cutting out the toes of shoes because they were too small or toddlers came wearing only socks. In the case of school age children the stigma attached was great and frequently caused negative behaviors in school. Understanding that parents cannot always do their best at work when their children are in need and research confirming that children do not learn well under such pressure, the personal cause that The Krewe of Alegria was looking for was there and “Kickin’ For Kids” became established. In 2005, Alegria’s Kickin For Kids, Inc.was incorporated as a not-for-profit charitable organization, in 2007 we achieved full 501(c)3 status. All contributions made to Alegria’s Kickin’ for Kid, Inc. are tax deductible.

The goal of the Krewe of Alegria and Alegria’s Kickin’ For Kids SM is clear. We will provide for families who do not belong in the system and in other programs that are not appropriate for them. The service will be provided with no embarrassment to the family but rather as a positive gesture. Alegria’s Kickin’ for Kids SM has provided shoes and assistance not only for individual families but for other not-for-profit charitable organizations in our community. Recipients of new shoes have been Hope Children’s Home, The Salesian Boys and Girls Club, Metropolitan Ministries, Cornerstone Kids, Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranch, Hillsborough County Public Schools and others. All of this has been made possible through the efforts of our members, corporate sponsors such as Kilbride Insurance, Explorer Insurance, and individuals such as Amy Mandel from Feet First along with Nike Corporation, through co-partnering with groups such as Kids Foundation and Mr. Russell Alonso of Central Park Village Youth Services, fellow Inter-krewe Council members and other individuals in the Tampa Bay Area. Because of this networking success, we are proud to say that hundreds of pairs of new shoes have been given to children throughout Tampa Bay!

Thank you in advance for your generous support!