 "Photo: Courtesy Stephanie Cohen")
Students participating in the TOMS Shoes "One Day Without Shoes" event will walk to class barefoot Thursday.
They will be joining more than 1,000 schools participating in the event, which asks people around the world "to experience a life without shoes firsthand, and to help spread awareness of the impact a simple pair of shoes can bring to a child's life," according to TOMSshoes.com.
Since it was established in 2006, TOMS Shoes has been using the "One for One" model to give one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair they sell. The company has had "shoe drops" in several locations around the world including Argentina, Africa and India.
Thursday, members of UCF's TOMS Shoes club will gather at the Reflecting Pond from noon to 5 p.m. to spread the word about TOMS Shoes and paint the bare feet of students participating in the One Day Without Shoes event. Students are encouraged to bring blank T-shirts, which can be stenciled for $2. The proceeds will be donated to TOMS Shoes, said Stephanie Cohen, club president.
"We're just trying to encourage people to understand what it's like for other people to go without shoes," Cohen said. "I'm looking forward to being able to spread the word about TOMS and help spread awareness somehow to really impact kids' lives and eliminate [podoconiosis]."
Podoconiosis is a severe swelling of the feet that develops after walking on silica-rich soil with no shoes. More than 1 million people are suffering from the disease, which could have been prevented with shoes.
Cohen, who is earning her master's in social work, said members of UCF's TOMS Shoes club will be participating in barefoot walks at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Thursday. The walks will begin at the Reflecting Pond and students will cover a mile-long route.
The last barefoot walk the club hosted was in October, and there were more than 500 participants, Cohen said. Hanson played a set on campus and led the walk, which stretched from the John T. Washington Center to the UCF Arena.
"This is going to be a lot smaller, but it's definitely something we're looking forward to because we'll be able to talk to students firsthand rather than just Hanson fans," Cohen said.
Cohen said she remembers hearing complaints about how hot the ground was while they were crossing the street during the barefoot walk with Hanson.
"I was just like, ‘This is why we're doing this.' "
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