One Day Without Shoes Success
By Victoria Bozzo
Staff Writer
MONTICELLO-Toms shoes is a one for one company. For every pair of shoes bought, they provide a pair to a child in need in a third world country. For every pair of eyewear sold, part of the profit is used to save or restore the eyesight for people. Their movement originally started to raise awareness of the impact a single pair of shoes can make in a child’s life.
The Toms club was created at the University of Arkansas at Monticello in the spring of 2011 by Mollie Cagle, president of the Toms club and Rob Leonard.
“I started a Toms campus program at UAM my freshman year because there was not very many people aware of this company in this area,” Cagle said. She had participated in One Day Without Shoes since high school and wanted to see it happen here at UAM.
The Toms campus club hosts three events a year. Their first is the charity Haunted Hayride in October where they raise money for their second event the Christmas Shoe Drive where they buy shoes for one of the youth homes in town for Christmas. Their third event is One Day Without Shoes where they have free lunch, games and a walk around campus all while being barefoot.
The Toms club had free food for everyone that came, they had games such as a three legged race and a relay race only using your feet. To conclude the event there was a barefoot campus walk around the pond. “I thought our One Day Without Shoes event was great. We had the most people we have ever had and everyone seemed to have a really great time,” said Cagle.
The clubs donations go to help fund their events, mostly the Christmas Shoe Drive. Toms shoes run from around $36-$150 and the kids are allowed to pick out whatever pair they want, within reason. Pauline Church also is a huge contributor to the club to help make the events possible.
To get involved in the UAM Toms club contact president, Mollie Cagle or Rob Leonard. They also have a booth at the students activities fair on campus where students can learn more about the club. Anyone can get involved with Toms by spreading information about the Toms movement. “That’s what yesterday was really about. Spreading information leads to conversation which leads to action which leads to change!” said Cagle.
The Voice 