There were a lot of bare feet on campus Tuesday at the University of Charleston. And it was all for a good cause.
Tuesday is International One Day without Shoes. Sam Scott, the President of UC’s TOM’s Campus Club, sponsored the event.
“The big thing is to go barefoot so kids don’t have to,” Scott explained. “We’re raising awareness for the thousands of people affected by hookworm and other soil infections that they get barefoot.”
One Day without Shoes was the brainchild of Entrepreneur Blake Mycostie, the founder of Tom’s Shoes. Scott says the company gives back more than it gets.
“For every pair of shoes that they sell, they give one to a child in need,” Scott said.
He and members of the UC TOM’s club say they are enthusiastic supporters of the program. That’s why they wanted to spread the word and the best way was to shed their shoes.
“We’ve seen hundreds of kids on campus just going barefoot.”
Scott says those who don’t know about the program are asking why everyone is sans shoes. He says it’s a chance to inform students and the community about the importance of making shoes available to children all around the world.
To learn more about the program, you can log on to www.onedaywithoutshoes.com.