From CityFax, October 2005:
October is a spectacular month. The leaves are starting to change, Mother Nature offers up a few days when it’s not too hot to pull out that fabulous sweater I’ve been waiting to wear, cities in the area host all sorts of fun festivals, the
World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party (a.k.a., the Georgia/Florida football game)
takes place, and I’m guaranteed at least one occasion to play serious dress up.
Confession: I start planning my Halloween outfit on November 1 the year before. Past blue ribbon (in my opinion, anyway) costumes I’ve pulled off have included a Christmas tree (complete with battery operated
lights strung around my body and a big, gold star mask, the band KISS (my
husband and two friends were in on this one; I was Gene Simmons), and Spuds
Mackenzie (remember him?). But I’m especially excited about what I’ll be donning on October 31 of this year—it was inspired by the thing that first intrigued me about Newnan, back when my
then-boyfriend (now-husband) first brought me to Newnan to meet his parents. He was driving me around and pointing out all the important landmarks in his
hometown, when all of a sudden I saw a shoe—a ladies’ red pump to be exact—nailed to a tree. I raised an eyebrow but didn’t mention it, until we turned another corner and, jiminy crickets, there was
another shoe—this time beige—nailed to another tree. “So what’s up with the shoes?” I inquired. He dismissively said, “Oh, no one really knows—they’re in lots of places around Newnan,” and I was hooked. I had to know why they were there, what they symbolized, and who was doing it.
We have since moved to Newnan and I think I’ve asked most everyone I’ve met if they know the secret of the shoes. Though there are tons of theories, no one seems to really know what the deal is.
And I think that just makes me love them even more. So for this Halloween, I’m paying homage to my obsession and most favorite Newnan oddity—the Shoe Tree. October 31 can’t come fast enough.
Happy October,
Tucker Berta
Editor
From CityFax, December 2005:
Never have I written anything that generated as much response as my October
CityFax, regarding the mysterious Shoe Trees in Newnan. Dozens of people from across the Southern Arc emailed me, called me and
approached me in person with their theories on why someone nails ladies’ shoes to trees all over the town. Their guesses ranged from the sinister (the shoes somehow symbolized the
presence of drugs or “ladies of the night”) to the strange (years ago, a woman was attacked by a pit bull who ate her
shoe, thus causing her to lose her mind and nail shoes to trees), but no one
knew for certain.
Then it happened. I received an email from a woman claiming she knew the Shoe Person and could
possibly put me in touch with “him/her.” “Make it happen,” I electronically pleaded. After a series of emails—her emailing me with demands from the Shoe Person, me responding after having
met those demands—the elusive Shoe Person (who actually calls himself the “Shoe Hanger,” or “S.H.” for short) emailed me. And now, after much email correspondence and a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with
S.H., I know why there are shoes hung on trees in Newnan, and I will share that
coveted knowledge with you.
S.H. hangs shoes on trees to make you and me smile. It’s as simple (and as wonderful) as that. He said to me: “Studies show that children laugh approximately 400 times a day, adults only 10… Laughter is found to reduce stress hormones, lower blood pressure, increase
muscle flexion, and boost immune function. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins. Someone wrote that, ‘a belly laugh is the equivalent to internal jogging.’ So why do I hang shoes on trees? For me, it’s therapeutic. Once [after a trip to Mexico] I tried to make myself feel guilty because of all
the people in the world who don’t have shoes. Then I realized that if I give a pair of old shoes to one person, only one
person will benefit from them. But if I hang that same pair of shoes on two separate trees, hundreds may
benefit from them. That is, if they think it’s funny. Picture this: Me diving into the woods with a drill and a shoe because a car is coming. Do you think that’s funny? Good—that’s why I do it. E.E. Cummings said, ‘The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.’”
Like the majority of folks who’ve seen the Shoe Trees, I think they’re hysterical. They make me giggle every time I see them, and now that I know the kind soul
nailing them up for our simple delight, I love them even more.
Wishing you a lovely holiday season,
Tucker Berta
Editor
Publishers Letter, December 2005:
Now… In keeping with the remarkable spirit of the “Shoe Hanger,” we are excited to join in the art of spreading chuckles. The Shoe Hanger’s intent was to send a smile to tons of passersby each day, and we want to help
him take it one step further by spreading the fun to the entire Southern Arc! For starters we will be hiding a shoe like the one in the drawing above in three
to four advertisements in each issue of Lifestyles. Our hope is that you will search for the hidden shoes each month and get a
chuckle each time you spot one. As an added bonus, each month we will give away prizes from a drawing of the “shoe finders” who find all the shoes in the issue.
We will have a drawing each month from all correct entries and give away a fun
prize—this month’s winner will receive one year subscription to Lifestyles and a $70 spa
certicificate from Veranda Day Spa. Be on the lookout for the next issue to see the results from the previous issue
and start the hunt for the next.
In this issue, there are four shoes hidden… We hope you’ll have fun finding them all!
Happy Holidays!
Monica F. Gaddy
Publisher
