Why I Wear the Red Shoes: Matt Miller

For Matt Miller, being part of the Red Shoe Society comes down to a simple belief:

“If I can, I should.”

If he has the time, energy and ability to help someone else, Matt believes he should. And at Ronald McDonald House, he has found a place where that belief can make a very real difference for families.

The mission is personal for Matt. Growing up as the son of a disabled single mother, he understood early how quickly circumstances can create uncertainty for a family. That experience shaped the way he sees families today especially those suddenly faced with the illness or injury of a child.

“When you have a sick or injured child getting treatment, the last thing you want to worry about is food and lodging,” Matt says.

Matt had always enjoyed volunteering, dating back to his days at Clemson, so when he learned about Red Shoe Society, the young professionals group supporting Ronald McDonald House, he was intrigued. He attended one interest meeting and quickly knew he wanted to be involved.

But meeting the families transformed that interest into something much more meaningful.

At Red Shoe Society’s first Fall Fest, Matt was helping with face painting when a young girl and her father stopped by. Afterward, the little girl said it had been “one of the best days of her life.”

Matt has never forgotten it.

It was a simple moment of face painting, laughter and a little fun. But for a child and family going through an incredibly difficult time, it meant something much bigger.

“That will stick with me always,” he says.

It is why Matt sees Ronald McDonald House as more than a place to sleep. The House provides families with meals, lodging and a way to remain close to their child’s medical care. But it also creates moments when, even during uncertainty, life can feel a little more normal.

For Matt, that is what Red Shoe Society is all about.

“I feel my purpose has always been to serve others, and RSS has given me a chance to dive in and make an immediate impact on the House and its families.”

That spirit comes alive at one of Matt’s favorite RSS event the Plane Pull.

Teams gather to do exactly what the name suggests: pull a jet plane. Matt has found his own special role as referee, complete with whistle, false-start flags and responsibility for keeping the finishing times.

He describes it as “tug of war, but instead of a rival, it’s a jet plane.”

There is plenty of competition, but some of Matt’s favorite moments have little to do with who wins. Spectators can attend for free, families cheer from the sidelines and children can enjoy a day filled with activities including their own Kids’ Plane Pull this year.

For children watching the adults take on a jet, Matt hopes they leave thinking their parents looked a little superhuman that day.

Behind the fun is a purpose no one in Red Shoe Society forgets. The money raised through Plane Pull directly supports Ronald McDonald House and the families who depend on it during some of the hardest days of their lives. Over the past two years, Red Shoe Society has raised more than $50,000 through the event.

Matt hopes more young professionals in Greenville realize they don’t have to wait until some future point in their lives to make a difference.

Red Shoe Society gave him an easy place to begin. It also gave him friendships, fun and a community of people who share his desire to serve. But what keeps him coming back isn’t the networking or even the events.

It’s the families.

“I feel like I have a lot to give,” he says. “If I can, I should.”

And when asked to finish one final sentence I wear the red shoes because…Matt brings it right back to the belief that brought him here:

“I wear the red shoes because I can, and if I can, I should. I want to be of service to my community and these families.”

For Matt, wearing the red shoes isn’t simply about being part of an organization.

It’s about showing up when a family needs someone to.