By Joel Ceausu - The Suburban
People are always being told to walk a mile in the other guy’s shoes, but what if the other guy has no shoes?
That’s the reality for much of the planet. In fact, some reports pet it at 300 million children going barefoot every day. As spring cleaning kicks into high gear, it puts it in perspective, particularly when eyeing a closet teeming with dozens of pairs.
“Shoes don’t judge you,” says professional organizer Pat Auchinleck. “When you gain 10 pounds they still look great; that’s why many women have so many pairs.” Now Auchinleck and her colleagues Renée Blanchette and Dorothy Spevack want your shoes. The three are leading a Montreal shoe drive to benefit the poor, here at home and in the developing world.
Spevack discovered the Soles4Souls organization, which has collected and delivered more than 15 million pairs of new and used shoes in more than 127 countries over five years. “I read about their work and about the children who have no shoes and cannot go to school because the school requires they wear shoes,” she told The Suburban.
From Haiti to Africa, from Mexico to Guatemala, the shoes benefit many barefoot kids and adults living a high risk scavenger’s existence, roaming garbage dumps, fields and slums looking for food or household items. Some of the most dangerous conditions of going barefoot are the risk of puncture wounds, cuts, scrapes, burns, serious infections, amputations and even death.
“I read about two large Soles4Souls shoe drives in Kelowna, B.C. that collected about 100,000 pairs,” recalls Spevack. Another drive is happening next month in Kelowna and in Ottawa, and she thought it was time for Montreal to step in, approaching fellow members of Professional Organizers in Canada’s Montreal Chapter last October, who were keen on the idea.
Working with clients to reduce clutter, which often includes surplus footwear, “it was a no-brainer for us,” says Auchinleck. “It makes sense of what we do as professional organizers: It’s always easier to get someone to let go of something if someone can really use it.” Blanchette agrees: “What motivates us is that we see lots of shoes and they are good. This has definite purpose as people are in need of them.”
The ladies are looking for new and gently used shoes, boots and sandals, tied or bundled together. “We’re hoping for 30,000 pairs,” says Spevack, “a thousand a day throughout April.” There are 27 drop-off points in and around the city, including Running Room stores, Dawson College, Royal West Academy, Purolator Vaudreuil and more.
The mounting piles of footwear are stored courtesy of Sentinel Storage and at least 20 percent will go to local organizations Dans La Rue and the Patricia Mackenzie Pavilion at the Old Brewery Mission. The balance will be shipped to Ottawa then Nevada for distribution overseas.
The campaign officially kicks off a Foot Solutions in Westmount this Saturday, when organizers encourage all Montrealers - and Suburban readers - to help change the world, one pair at a time.
For information and drop-off locations visit http://www.soles4soulsmontreal.blogspot.ca/
or call 514-487-9675
