When I hear that kids cannot attend school because they don’t have shoes, I know something is wrong. In fact, it brings back memories of when I volunteerd at a Mayan village in the heart of Belize.
I heard Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS shoes share a story about his trip to Argentina where a woman ran up to him in tears. At first he thought they were tears of sorrow, and after hearing her story, Blake found out why she was so happy.
This is what she told Blake.
On Monday, my oldest son gets the pair of shoes and can walk to school. On Tuesday, it’s my middle son who gets to wear the shoes and attend school, and on Wednesday it’s my youngest son’s turn. Now thanks to your shoes, my three sons can go to school.
As I mother of three sons, I’m thinking, two kids get to attend school twice a week and the youngest only once a week.
After living in Belize, Central America for one year, I learned that education is something kids in third world countries really want. Unlike many children in the developed world, kids in poor countries are excited about the privilege of going to school. They want an education.
Here is a snippet from Blake Mycoskie’s talk at the 2013 LA Times Travel Show:
Blake has given away 2 million pairs of TOMS shoes in fifty countries.
Now Blake Mycoskie launched his TOMS eyewear. While traveling through Ethiopia, he visited an eye clinic where cataract surgeries were offered to blind kids and adults. For only $15 to $45 per surgery, kids and adults were given their eyesight back. That’s when Blake decided to offer TOMS eyewear and for each pair sold, one person gets their eyesight back. In one year, he has helped 130,000 people get their eyesight back.
Blake Mycoskie says his “one for one” company is “like my soul mate in business.”
Just listening to Blake inspired me to enter his sweepstakes, “TOMS ticket to give.”
Please Vote For Me to Go Help Give Kids TOMS Shoes
I would love it if you could just click on the link and vote for me. I would love to be an ambassador and help give children a pair of shoes through TOMS giving away program.
Want to enter the contest yourself?
The deadline has been extended until Sunday, March 10th, and you can enter here.
Have you volunteered in a third-world country?
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February has 4 amazing “My Gutsy Story” submissions.
Please vote for your favorite story. You have until March 13th to vote, and the winner will be announced on March 14th. Good luck to all your great stories.
SCROLL DOWN ON SIDEBAR (right underneath the Anthology Book Cover) TO VOTE. Only ONE vote each.
Do you have a “My Gutsy Story®” you’d like to share?
NOW is the time to submit your “My Gutsy Story®.” Please submit to sonia@soniamarsh.com.
You can find all the information, and our sponsors on the “My Gutsy Story®” contest page. (VIDEO) Submission guidelines here
