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SALT LAKE CITY -- There was an unusual sight across the country and here in Utah Tuesday: People went about their daily lives minus their shoes.
It's all the work of one man, the founder of Tom's Shoes, but his message resonates with many. He declared Tuesday "One Day Without Shoes" to bring awareness to children in developing countries who go barefoot every day.
The concept of Tom's Shoes is simple: sell a pair, give another pair away to a child in need. Founder Blake Mycoskie was featured on the Today Show Thursday morning, explaining his unique business model.
Mycoskie says he got the idea after seeing kids without shoes four years ago in Argentina.
• Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection.
• Often, children cannot attend school barefoot.
• In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.
• Podoconiosis is 100% preventable with basic foot hygiene and wearing shoes.
One Day Without Shoes
"They weren't allowed to go to school because they didn't have the proper footwear -- that was part of the uniform," Mycoskie says.
To date, Tom's Shoes has given away more than 600,000 pairs of shoes. Locally, they're sold at stores like Nordstrom and JMR.
"They are so comfortable," says Ashley Ellis.
However, on Thursday, teens like 17-year-old Ellis took off their shoes -- Tom's or other brands -- to promote "A Day Without Shoes." Their goal is to bring awareness to children who don't have, and have never owned, a pair of shoes.
"They need to realize that not everyone in this world has the luxuries we do," Ellis says. "It's an everyday thing, shoes. We need shoes."
"You've got to walk 10 miles in someone else's shoes, or lack thereof," says 16-year-old Alannah Bowlus.
A group of barefoot believers gathered at Pioneer Park and walked to JMR. They got some strange looks, but they were more than happy to promote their cause -- one that starts with a new pair of shoes here and ends with a new pair on the other side of the world.
All in all, Tom's Shoes have been given to kids in 28 countries.
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
