UCA’s first ever Barefoot Walk, held April 8, became a massive event featuring Conway’s own Kris Allen; Jessica Shortall, the director of giving of TOMS Shoes; and the Dale Dawson, CEO of Bride2Rwanda.TOMS Shoes is a California-based company with the motto of “One-for-One.” For every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS will donate one pair to a child in need of shoes. Every year in April, TOMS promotes their “One Day Without Shoes” campaign by encouraging people to walk a day without shoes to experience how difficult it is and to spread awareness of the TOMS mission.
Freshman Josh Whitehurst, campus representative for TOMS Shoes and organizer of the Barefoot Walk, contacted TOMS Shoes several months ago and applied for the position of campus representative. After he was approved he began plans for UCA’s own Barefoot Walk.
Just days before the walk, Whitehurst received a call from Dale Dawson, CEO of the nonprofit organization Bridge2Rwanda.
“I registered [the walk] on the TOMS Web site,” Whitehurst said. “About two days [before the walk] I got contacted by Bridge2Rwanda and they said, ‘Hey, could we do this with you?’”
Whitehurst agreed, and Bridge2Rwanda also brought Kris Allen, who had just returned from a shoe drop in Rwanda.
Shortall, director of giving for TOMS Shoes also made a surprise appearance on the day of the walk.
“She wanted to come. Bridge2Rwanda contacted me and said she was coming,” Whitehurst said.
Although the beginning of the Barefoot Walk was moved ahead two hours, hundreds of students and members of the community appeared shoe-less to walk around campus and show support for the cause.
Allen and Whitehurst walked at the head of the line, carrying the blue and white TOMS banner, with Dawson, Shortall, Katie Allen and many others walking near them.
After the walk, which led the group from the Student Center Courtyard past Main Hall, Minton Hall, State Hall, Snow Fine Arts and finally to Reynolds Performance Hall, hundreds gathered for Kris Allen’s performance as well as speeches and videos.
Whitehurst was the first on stage, announcing President Allen Meadors who said a few words in his suit and bare feet.
“This is the epitome of what we wants students to be a part of,” Meadors said. “And that is something bigger than themselves.”
Dawson spoke to the audience next, explaining the Bridge2Rwanda mission and how TOMS Shoes plays an important role in what they aim to accomplish.
“Yesterday was … April 7, the 16th anniversary of the Rwanda genocide,” he said.
Dawson referred to the killing of over 800,000 Tutsi people of Rwanda in a span of only three months, according to a BBC News article from 2008.
“But if all you know about Rwanda is the genocide, then you don’t know half of what there is,” Dawson said.
Bridge2Rwanda is responsible for a number of human works projects aimed at improving the economic and social stability for those still in Rwanda. According to Bridge2Rwanda.org, they do projects that encourage economic growth and entrepreneurial thinking as well as programs to build schools. One program in particular, Dawson said, takes the brightest Rwandan students and allows them to attend college in the U.S., many of which are schools in Arkansas.
At a press conference after the performances, Dawson and Shortall discussed how TOMS and Bridge2Rwanda are essentially seeking the same goal.
Dawson said education was their primary goal, but what TOMS Shoes does is beneficial to education.
“You can’t educate children if you don’t keep them healthy,” he said.
One video shown before the concert was about podoconiosis, a debilitating disease that affects people in the northern countries of Africa, such as Rwanda and Ethiopia. It comes from volcanic gases in the red soil and is contracted simply by walking barefoot across the soil. “Podo” causes victims feet and legs to swell to massive sizes, often making them unable to walk.
Whitehurst said after the Barefoot Walk that he was “blown away” by the outcome of the event.
“It was all spur of the moment. It’s really a gift from God, because I prayed about it,” he said. “I have had so much response and so many people ask me how they can get involved.”
For more information on TOMS Shoes and the “One Day Without Shoes” movement, students can visit TOMSShoes.com or OneDayWithoutShoes.com.
For more information on Bridge2Rwanda, they can visit Bridge2Rwanda.org.
Kris Allen, others walk barefoot for TOMS
Freshman Josh Whitehurst, campus representative for TOMS Shoes and organizer of the Barefoot Walk, contacted TOMS Shoes several months ago and applied for the position of campus representative. After he was approved he began plans for UCA’s own Barefoot Walk.
Just days before the walk, Whitehurst received a call from Dale Dawson, CEO of the nonprofit organization Bridge2Rwanda.
“I registered [the walk] on the TOMS Web site,” Whitehurst said. “About two days [before the walk] I got contacted by Bridge2Rwanda and they said, ‘Hey, could we do this with you?’”
Whitehurst agreed, and Bridge2Rwanda also brought Kris Allen, who had just returned from a shoe drop in Rwanda.
Shortall, director of giving for TOMS Shoes also made a surprise appearance on the day of the walk.
“She wanted to come. Bridge2Rwanda contacted me and said she was coming,” Whitehurst said.
Although the beginning of the Barefoot Walk was moved ahead two hours, hundreds of students and members of the community appeared shoe-less to walk around campus and show support for the cause.
Allen and Whitehurst walked at the head of the line, carrying the blue and white TOMS banner, with Dawson, Shortall, Katie Allen and many others walking near them.
After the walk, which led the group from the Student Center Courtyard past Main Hall, Minton Hall, State Hall, Snow Fine Arts and finally to Reynolds Performance Hall, hundreds gathered for Kris Allen’s performance as well as speeches and videos.
Whitehurst was the first on stage, announcing President Allen Meadors who said a few words in his suit and bare feet.
“This is the epitome of what we wants students to be a part of,” Meadors said. “And that is something bigger than themselves.”
Dawson spoke to the audience next, explaining the Bridge2Rwanda mission and how TOMS Shoes plays an important role in what they aim to accomplish.
“Yesterday was … April 7, the 16th anniversary of the Rwanda genocide,” he said.
Dawson referred to the killing of over 800,000 Tutsi people of Rwanda in a span of only three months, according to a BBC News article from 2008.
“But if all you know about Rwanda is the genocide, then you don’t know half of what there is,” Dawson said.
Bridge2Rwanda is responsible for a number of human works projects aimed at improving the economic and social stability for those still in Rwanda. According to Bridge2Rwanda.org, they do projects that encourage economic growth and entrepreneurial thinking as well as programs to build schools. One program in particular, Dawson said, takes the brightest Rwandan students and allows them to attend college in the U.S., many of which are schools in Arkansas.
At a press conference after the performances, Dawson and Shortall discussed how TOMS and Bridge2Rwanda are essentially seeking the same goal.
Dawson said education was their primary goal, but what TOMS Shoes does is beneficial to education.
“You can’t educate children if you don’t keep them healthy,” he said.
One video shown before the concert was about podoconiosis, a debilitating disease that affects people in the northern countries of Africa, such as Rwanda and Ethiopia. It comes from volcanic gases in the red soil and is contracted simply by walking barefoot across the soil. “Podo” causes victims feet and legs to swell to massive sizes, often making them unable to walk.
Whitehurst said after the Barefoot Walk that he was “blown away” by the outcome of the event.
“It was all spur of the moment. It’s really a gift from God, because I prayed about it,” he said. “I have had so much response and so many people ask me how they can get involved.”
For more information on TOMS Shoes and the “One Day Without Shoes” movement, students can visit TOMSShoes.com or OneDayWithoutShoes.com.
For more information on Bridge2Rwanda, they can visit Bridge2Rwanda.org.