 "Photo: Kyle Hobstetter")
With the holidays around the corner, many students have gotten a jumpstart on giving to others by buying a new pair of TOMS shoes.
The TOMS shoes campus organization and We Are Changing the World sponsored the “Gifts With Meaning” event Thursday evening.
For every pair of TOMS shoes purchased, one pair will go to a child in need, according to the organization’s Web page. Since its beginning in 2006, TOMS has given more than 150,000 pairs of shoes to children in need through its one-for-one model. The goal for 2009 is to give 300,000 pairs of shoes to children in need.
The event had close to 60 people said Anna Adkins, TOMS shoes volunteer. Adkins said about 240 people are on the contact list for the TOMS shoes campus group.
“We probably had about 50 students and 10 community members,” said Kati Bailey, Student Government Association service projects director.
“When we first started, I thought it might not work and we would have to try next semester,” Adkins said. “Then we had close to 60 people sign up, so it kind of blew my mind this time. If we got the word out even more next time, we may be able to have more people.”
“TOMS is just a really cool company in general,” Bailey said. “It’s not just trendy, but it also offers internships and continues to grow with job opportunities.”
Students bought plain white canvas TOMS earlier in the semester, and at the event they were provided with materials to decorate them as they wished.
“I love TOMS shoes,” said Christina Johnson, freshman from Parkersburg, W.Va. “I’ve been in love with them forever, and I really want to decorate them.”
Cassie Chapman, from Salt Rock W.Va., said she heard about the event through Adkins. She believes it’s a good cause and said it makes her feel better at the end of the day.
“I think this event is just a proven example that students, if its well advertised and it’s the right type of event, will come out,” Bailey said. “Hopefully this will have a snowball effect.”
“I’ve got a couple pairs of TOMS and they are comfy shoes,” said Matt Thomas, senior from St. Albans. “I just think the whole idea of the give-away is really cool.”
“I think there’s a lot of energy in there, a lot of people, and I really hope that people will fall in love with TOMS,” Bailey said. “But more importantly just fall in love with helping others and just understand that it’s really not that hard to help other people. And it’s something as simple as choosing to buy this kind of pair of shoes.”
“I wish Marshall’s campus would have more stuff like this,” Thomas said. “It’s a cool way to meet people other than going out to bars.”
“I feel fantastic,” Adkins said. “I feel like it’s going a lot better than I even planned, and I couldn’t really ask for anything more at this point.”
Bailey said students could come out and make themselves something with meaning, and as they walk around campus they will be a walking advertisement for TOMS.
Meghann Ferguson can be contacted at ferguson121@marshall.edu.
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