Ralph Rotella’s annual Syracuse Christmas shoe donation sets new record in 2020 Updated Dec 16, 2020; Posted Dec 16, 2020 Ralph Rotella, owner of Discount Shoe Repair in downtown Syracuse, shows the total number of shoes he collected for the Rescue Mission Wednesday Dec. 16, 2020 , many of which he repaired himself. Rotella, who has collected and dontated shoes for nine years straight, set a lofty goal of 20,000 pairs this year. He beat that by more than 3,000, collecting a whopping 23,187. Lauren Long | [email protected] Long | [email protected] Facebook Share Syracuse, N.Y. — Ten years ago, the first Christmas season shoe drive organized by downtown shoe repair shop owner Ralph Rotella collected 65 pairs to donate to the Syracuse Rescue Mission.