One Day Without Shoes

Hello my Keystone writers!

A fellow Keystone Writes! Member brought to my attention a movement called “One Day Without Shoes”. Here is a little information to get the wheels turning in your brain:

Millions of kids around the world do not own even a single pair of shoes. What’s the big deal about shoes? Shoes are just a simple accessory right? WRONG! Shoes are a form of protection from a dangerous parasite, known as hookworms. Hookworms are soil transmitted parasites that attach to a host (aka us humans with bare feet) and feeds off of it. They can cause serious damage to the host including, but not limited to, malnutrition, anemia, and stunted growth. Hookworms affect over 740 million people worldwide. Something else that you may not know is that not having shoes can cause a lesser education. Nuts right? I’m sure you have seen the “no shoes, no shirts, no service” signs in many public places. This is true for many schools as well. Schools often require a uniform, or have certain clothing regulations and without shoes children will not be allowed to enter. Now are you ready for this? For every year of school that a child attends there is a 10% increase in their future earnings. One pair of shoes could be the difference between living on the streets, and being the next Bill Gates all because a child will be able to attend school.

I’m sure you’re wondering what the point of this post is, so I’ll get to the point. A shoe company known as TOMS, partners with other organizations to help kids who do not own shoes in order to help them have healthier todays and brighter tomorrows, by giving a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of shoes someone buys. TOMS puts together an annual event each year called “One Day Without Shoes”.

 It is a pretty straightforward event. On April 16^th, 2013 spend the day not wearing shoes. Just 24 hours without the comfort of shoes, no matter where you need to go, be it errand running or sitting in your house. It will not cost you a penny, yet the moment you walk out of your home without shoes, your act will yield curiosity, curiosity will yield question, question yields conversation and conversation yields action! If one pair of shoes can make a difference, can you imagine what kind of difference just the 70 of us could make? Please join me and Rene in this simple action of spreading the word to help those in need! If you will participate on April 16^th please post a comment on this post to let us know!

If you want to read some more information please visit the site: onedaywithoutshoes.com