Barefootin'

Hi, I'm Madison. Carly is my best friend and I love TOMS.

I loved going barefoot as a child. There was something so incredibly freeing about ditching my shoes and giving the tootsies some breathing room, and yet the thought never crossed my mind that I wouldn’t eventually have to put my shoes back on to go to school, church, or the store. When my brother and I rode bikes or played in the woods with the kids next door we didn’t think twice about putting on shoes to protect our feet. And as I grew up, “new” shoes were bought to accommodate my growing feet. My closet was full of shoes and still more I would buy. So little did I know.

Around the world, millions of children go barefoot all day, every day without choice.

On Thursday, April 16, TOMS Shoes challenged shoe-wearing individuals around the globe to leave their shoes behind and spend “A Day Without Shoes.” [www.tomsshoes.com] Twenty-four hours make up a day, and being a bit of a literalist, I decided a full day barefoot is exactly what I would do, thus for 24 hours my feet were bare.

Blake Mycoskie, founder and chief shoe giver of TOMS, began the company in 2006 after a trip to Argentina opened his eyes to the very real need for shoes. Centered around an incredible “One for One” mission, for every pair of TOMS shoes purchased another pair is made to GIVE to a child in need. One for One. I fell in love with the TOMS mission in 2007 after coming across a pair of TOMS in an unknown magazine and immediately wanted a pair for myself. And although I did indeed get a pair for myself, in the end I received so much more. TOMS has sparked a passion in me unlike any other cause before and going barefoot for a day was the very least I could do.

Soil-transmitted parasites are the leading cause of disease around the world. In Ethiopia alone, where the soil is full of silica-rich volcanic particles, a disease by the name of Podoconiosis (Podo) affects nearly 1 million people with over 11 million more susceptible to contracting the disease. Massive swelling and ulcers on the lower extremities cause sever pain and deformities, ultimately preventing those affected from moving freely, going to school, or holding a job. Often times these individuals are shunned by their families and left to fend for themselves. Sadly, Podo is 100% preventable by simply wearing shoes.

Shoes protect feet from cuts and sores, from disease and infections. Shoes also enable children to attend school where they are often dress-code requirements. Shoes are so simple and yet so powerful.

As I spent the day up-close and personal with the rocks and dirt of Mother Nature, rode on public buses, and traversed the UNC campus, my bare feet were a constant reminder of the power in a pair of shoes. I haven’t had a day quite so good in a very long time.

And now for the BEST part: YOU can catch the barefoot fever. Visit www.tomsshoes.com and buy a pair of super sweet (and insanely comfortable) shoes for yourself, but don’t stop there…spread the word. One for One.