John Jay Killpack | Contributing Writer

A Day Without Shoes is a unique day symbolizing the global awareness of children’s health in the world. The idea behind this day in short terms is to have people go barefoot for just one single day to feel, reflect, and gain a better perspective on the poverty some children have to face every day.

If you did not know already, the company titled Toms brought this concept to life. Toms markets its products of shoes by donating a pair of shoes for every shoe sold. Thus, their profits go to both their company and a good cause.

To this day, a lot of people raise funds to donate to Toms or collect shoes to provide for the better health of many children in the world. Once I heard about this event, I knew it was an opportunity for me to raise awareness and think about others for a day on my campus. Western culture sometimes enables people to lose track of generosity. I feel this day puts the realization that there is a need, and it shows service can be done both for our community and those around the world.

I decided to sell t-shirts for A Day Without Shoes last year on campus and give all my donations to a local charity called The Bridge to buy shoes for the children in our community. The students who participated last year show more awareness and are educated in the issues of children’s health and poverty.

On April 16, A Day Without Shoes will be present again on Buena Vista University’s campus. There will be a walk around campus beginning at 4:00 p.m. by the Victory Bell. There are also t-shirts for sale to donate to two new causes: a local cause and an international cause. The proceeds will go to Upper Des Moines and Love Takes Root located in Haiti. Plans are still being done if there will be a walk around some local schools. The Student Activities Board (SAB) will also be hosting an event to create your own Toms shoes to support their initiative.

Take the chance, and go barefoot for a whole day! Yes, it is not a complete opportunity to feel how other people live, but it is a touch of realization that others are in need of service and compassion.

Graphic courtney of Student Move