Bare Your Sole

Recent TOMS at UGA Events

2011-04-23T13:32:00.000-07:00


Style Your Sole!

Day Without Shoes

-One For One-

The hosts of UGA's successful Style Your Sole!

New Year, Same Goal, Different Direction

2011-01-22T16:24:00.000-08:00

The 5k in December was a huge hit! The t-shirts turned out great thanks to the amazing ladies at ShirtWorks and all of the wonderful volunteers from TOMS at UGA and the UGAPD pulled the event off without a hitch!

This spring, we have been invited to take part in World Water Day with Global Fast on March 22nd. The premise is to "fast" for a meal to bring awareness to what others live without. We are in the process of planning all kinds of cool events and information tables to go along with our "fast." TOMS works with Charity: Water which is a very similar organization.

We will also be participating in the Athens Human Rights Festival this Spring, so come by and check it out!

We are also planning a Style your Sole event for UGA students in greek organizations in preparation of One Day without Shoes on April 5th. And then of course there are all of the ODWS events to be planned! Needless to say, we will be super busy!

Meeting dates are tbd.

"Barefoot" 5k!!!

2010-11-08T18:40:00.000-08:00

Our "Barefoot" 5k is officially planned and we are so excited! It will be on December 4th from 9am-10:30am. Registration will be from 8:15-8:45 the morning of the race. There will also be several registration booths at Tate Plaza and the Ramsey Center leading up to the race. Pre-registration will cost $15 and registration at the race will cost $20. The cost includes a t-shirt, though sizes will be limited at the race. RSVP and find race details on our Facebook event page by searching TOMS at UGA Barefoot 5k!!!

2010-10-18T06:30:00.001-07:00

A step towards a better tomorrow....

2010-10-18T06:29:00.000-07:00

Another year has begun and TOMS at UGA is working with ever more vigor to promote the One for One movement. The club is currently coordinating a barefoot 5k to raise awareness about TOMS and what they do. We are also working on a song about TOMS with The Classic City Songwriting Circle to further promote and spread word about the movement. Join us in the fight for shoes!!! Please email tomsatuga@gmail.com if you have any questions.

One Week Without Shoes: Day 3

2010-04-01T23:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm tonight writing this column from my own comfortable bed at my house. Although I still stick with my original stance that I would sleep in Tate once a week if we had the opportunity. Anyways, Day 3 of me going barefoot and I'm actually starting to show some cuts. I had to get a full body shot b/c I wanted everyone to see my incredible business casual look today of shirt, tie, and no shoes. The people I presented to in my International class all got a kick out of my hobbit's feet (and it's ok, I've embraced the fact that my feet are hobbit's feet, I mean honestly, I make Frodo Baggins look like a shoe model). Anyways, in between my little two and my 4th one on my right foot there are several cuts from I guess stepping on sharp objects barefoot. They hurt a little bit, but nothing that can't be fixed. I'm surprised that my feet became lacerated so quickly (only 3 days!). I mean, I'm 22 yrs. old, and I've been barefoot lots before. My feet have a built up tolerance somewhat and yet they still got cut in only 3 days. I can only imagine what happens to a 3 yr. old's feet walking around on the jagged terrains of South America and Africa. The good news is that we can stop that! I was very excited today to talk to my friend Aaron who informed me that he bought 2 pairs of TOMS shoes. Chalk up 2 more free pairs being given away!!! I know sometimes it's hard to see the big picture when you just buy one pair of shoes, but just think about all the people in America and that there are lots of others like you buying one pair of shoes, and that all those one pairs of shoes add up into about 400,000 pairs of shoes, which is something huge. I'll be honest, I really wasn't expecting this to be hard at all, I thought it would just be fun, but I truly am struggling now. I've soaked my feet for awhile and they still hurt when any pressure is applied. it's definitely given me new perspective, and I hope that it will encourage you to come out with us next week on April 8th and go barefoot. Also, if you are interested, Kinnucan's in Athens sells TOMS shoes, or you can hit up the website TOMS.com. Final thought for the day. You are only one person by yourself, but with others you are more than just one, and you can accomplish great and wonderful things that can change the world. There are over 40,000 people already signed up for One Day Without Shoes. Together we can change the world. One Step at a time. Go sign up today and I'll talk to you tomorrow! Catch ya on the flip side

Kyler

One Week Without Shoes: Day 2

2010-04-01T11:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm writing this blog from the inside of my cardboard "habishack" at about 2am in the middle of Tate Plaza and the only light I have is my laptop screen's white glow. If you wondering why, it's b/c I'm supporting Habitat for humanity's effort to make more people aware of the fact that many people in Athens are homeless. We all built houses of cardboard and are spending the night in Tate Plaza- should be an interesting night. Mine is actually quite comfortable too. It's a spacious 2 bedroom with an office and a kitchen. Also, voted best carpet of all the houses, but this is neither here nor there.

Anyways, onto the more important issues. My name is Kyler Dennis and I'm a campus rep at UGA for TOMS Shoes. Coming up on April 8th is our 'Day Without Shoes' where we encourage everyone to go the entire day barefoot to be reminded that there are people all over the world who have no shoes. Since I want as many people as possible to participate on the 8th, I decided to go barefoot for the entire week leading up to April 8th, and to blog about it. I've also decided to call it "One Week Without Shoes" (seems appropriate yeah?) So here are my brief thoughts, may they inspire you, humor you, and motivate you to walk with us on April 8th (I know I'm starting on Day 2, but that's b/c this idea didn't hit me until about 4 hrs ago).

So it's the end of the second day barefoot and I've only got one really big thought in my mind-my feet are burning. Not b/c of the hot pavement, but b/c of the incredibly rocky concrete that covers the entire Tate Plaza (my home for the night). It literally is like walking on gravel with nails and fire. Now I realize I'm being a huge baby, but it's my blog so I can complain if I want, ha. That being said, it's only making me think more about the fact that I'm complaining after 48 hrs barefoot. There are people who do this all their life, and they do it on way worse terrain than Tate Plaza concrete. Now this is the part I guess where I am supposed to inspire you with words to buy some TOMS/walk barefoot with us, but seriously, just stop and think about it for a second. I mean, how many pairs of shoes do most of us have? 5? 10? 20? pairs (that last one is for girls). These people in other countries have none. NONE. TOMS is doing a big part to stop that. If you don't know what TOMS does it's simple. For every pair of TOMS you buy, they give a brand new pair to someone who doesn't have any. One for one. How awesome is that? I mean, I buy a pair of shoes, brand new, so freaking comfortable, and they are mine, but someone else gets the exact same thing. And that person will probably appreciate it way more than me. That's freaking great!! (a win-win if you will).

Anyways, now that you know what TOMS does, maybe you wanna help more. You're asking, "What do I do?" The answer is simple- go buy some TOMS. Ok, maybe you don't have money. Well, then come walk barefoot with us on April 8th. People will ask why, then you tell them about TOMS, then they tell friends-knowledge spreads. People get helped. Everyone wins. "But I don't wanna go barefoot, it hurts!!" you might be thinking this. Well I'm here to tell you this, it does hurt some, but it hurts way more for those people who don't get a choice for shoes or not, so can't we suck it up one day for them? Also, the UGA campus is not that bad, I mean, part of my job in going one week barefoot is to recon the bad spots and tell you so it's safe!! (don't you love me even more now??)

So, to end this day's post, here are my thoughts: For all you barefoot friends, stay away from the parking lots behind Sig Chi, walk on the grass (it feel phenomenal and makes you young again), wash your feet in Herty Fountain (again, it makes you feel like your 8 all over), stay away from Tate Plaza (for reasons aforementioned), the SLC feels good too, and don't walk on roads if you can (they are hot as hell!!). Lastly, don't forget, April 8th, day without shoes!! And if you can't go barefoot all day, meet us out in front of Tate 2 at 3pm for our 1 mile barefoot walk. For everyone who signs up they donate a dollar to TOMS charity!! Tomorrow I'll be back with more barefoot news. See ya on the flip side!

Kyler

One Day at UGA Video

2010-03-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

All of us in the TOMS at UGA club would really like to thank everyone who participated in the making of this video. We couldn't have done it without the help of our fabulous extras that we pulled off the street and away from their studies to join us in support of One Day Without Shoes. We would also like to thank you, for taking a few minutes to watch our video and share the barefoot experience.

Please join us in our efforts to cover the UGA campus with bare feet on April 8, 2010 and walk with us at 3 p.m. from the Tate West Lawn to raise awareness of the impact a simple pair of shoes can have on a child's life.

For every person that walks, $1 will be donated to provide shoes to children in need.

Also, please register for our event at OneDayWithoutShoes.com to help us remain in the top six events. You can also join us in our movement on Facebook and Twitter.

One Day News Source Video

2010-03-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

I just found this News Source 15 video featuring Stuart Darsey, from One Day last year, floating around the Internet. Check it out.

I hope this inspires you to take off your shoes on April 8!

One Day Without Shoes Video Shoot

2010-03-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

Today we started filming of our One Day Without Shoes video, and had a lot of fun in the process. Here are some photos from the shoot.

We can't wait for ODWS.

2010-03-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

Send in your photos to have them added to the blog!

One Day Without Shoes design contest

2010-02-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

TOMS is so excited about One Day Without Shoes, April 8, 2010, that they are going crazy with generosity (like they aren't generous enough?)!

TOMS has teamed up with Threadless.com to create an awesome T-shirt design contest. Participants are asked to design a tee based on the theme: It's hard without shoes. This theme leaves a lot of room for creativity in design. (The ideas are swirling around in my head as we speak.)

The contest runs from Feb. 2 - Feb. 21, 2010, and the winning design will be promoted along with ODWS. In addition, the winning designer will receive a year of free TOMS (12 pairs), the opportunity to design a t-shirt for the TOMS Shoes online store, a $500 Threadless.com gift card and $2000 dollars cash!

The submission deadline will be here before you know it, so get those brains a-stormin' and enter to win this great contest.

For more details on the contest check out TOMS Shoes & Threadless.com. You can also view the contest submissions.

It's that time of year again...

2010-01-21T12:35:00.000-08:00

One Day without Shoes is fast approaching! Mark it on your calendars! April 8, 2010 is the second annual ODWS.

TOMS is asking everyone to go barefoot for one day, one hour, one minute on this day to raise awareness of the large group of people on this planet (40% of the population) that go barefoot every day.

Be sure to check TOMS' ODWS website and on the TOMS at UGA blog for updates on the event.

I leave you with this: The facts.

Fact #1:: In some developing nations, children must walk for miles to food, clean water and to seek medical help.
Fact #2:: Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection.
Fact #3:: Often, children cannot attend school barefoot.
Fact #4:: In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.
Fact #5:: Podoconiosis is 100% preventable by wearing shoes.

Dawgs for Haiti

2010-01-20T15:28:00.000-08:00

On January 12, 2010, the worst natural disaster to affect the western hemisphere in decades struck some of our poorest and most vulnerable neighbors. A 7.0 magnitude earthquake rattled the small Caribbean nation of Haiti, just ten miles outside of the densely populated city of Port-au-Prince. More than 50,000 people may be dead and buried among the rubble.

Volunteer UGA and the University of Georgia are answering the call to action. Dawgs for Haiti is a bulldog nation-wide effort organizing to raise money to support the victims of this devastating earthquake.

$50,000 for 50,000. That is our pledge, and our proceeds will be devided evenly between the relief efforts of the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders. The bulldog nation has 34,000 students, 250,000 alumni, and countless more members around the world. Now is the time for us to come together in the spirit of Southern hospitality and give our support to the victims of this terrible disaster.

Please donate generously.

Hanson + HelloGoodbye Concert

2009-11-29T18:04:00.000-08:00

For all of you who were unable to get to the Tabernacle on Oct. 28 to the Use Your Sole Tour, here is what you missed:

HelloGoodbye played a great set and get everyone excited. I loved the guy with the Ukulele! They played a few classics, like Bonnie Taylor Shakedown, Call N' Return and Dear Jaime... Sincerely Me. I hadn't listened to these guys in a few years and I was pleasantly surprised by how many of their songs I remembered. I had a lot of fun singing and jumping around to their pop-punk, nerdy dance music.

And then Hanson took the stage.... All the girls in the audience sighed, screamed and swooned at their dreamy long hair and grown up good looks. (No more 15 year olds in this band.) They played a mix of old hits, like MMMbop and Where's the Love, and new ballads written to inspire change and bring new meaning to music, like The Walk and a few new songs off their new Stand Up, Stand Up EP.

By the end of the night, all the girls had melted away into little puddles and had to be mopped up. The other bands joined Hanson on stage for an encore and everyone left feeling warm and happy.

I just want to say that I'm a little upset I missed the Halloween show, because the guys performed a cover of Thriller for the encore.

Friends of TOMS + America's Giving Challenge

2009-10-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

Friends of TOMS has a chance to win $50,000 through its first-ever fundraising effort and we need your support! Think how many Shoe Drops that could support and how much nearer we could get to our goal of eradicating Podoconiosis.

Here's how it works: from now until November 6th, participating non-profits in America's Giving Challenge will compete for cash awards based on the number of donations made to their cause.

We're excited about this challenge, but we need your help. You can help by donating something - anything - even as little as $10. And just as important, you can help by telling your friends and spreading the word. We need your help EVERY DAY of this contest.

Let's all help Friends of TOMS win $50,000. We can do this!

To learn more visit:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/tomsshoes?v=app_17037175766

To donate to Friends of TOMS visit its Causes page:
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/1661/14011797?m=e2d9b80d&_fb_fromhash=b49e5b72778bdad44f49b8dcd9572434

TOMS at UGA Fall Semester Calender

2009-10-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

Hey TOMS at UGA fans! Here is a list of all the meetings and events for the upcoming semester:

Wednesday, October 21st:
TOMS Club meeting in the SLC room 268.

Thursday, October 22nd:
We will have a TOMS table at Tate Plaza to pass out fliers, a $5 promo code, and spread the word about TOMS! We will also be promoting our free documentary screening! We need volunteers to come in and help!

Monday, October 26th:
Free viewing of the For Tomorrow: The TOMS shoes story from 7-8pm in the Tate Theatre! It is a blue card event and the documentary is awesome and very moving. Recruit as many people as possible to come see it! If you are greek, talk to someone to see if people could get community service hours for coming to the screening instead of going to chapter.

The more people the better, so SPREAD THE WORD!

Wednesday, October 28th:
HANSON and HelloGoodbye Use Your Sole Tour at the Tabernacle in Atlanta! Get your tickets now and Take the Walk before the show!

No club meeting this Wednesday.

Tuesday, November 3rd:
The Kick-off Your Shoes concert at Tasty World! This should be a really fun event! So far, we have Laminated Cat, Allison Weiss, and Josh Perkins Experiment in Southern Hospitality. We are also working on one more band. The bands will begin arriving at Tasty World at 8pm and they start playing at 10pm. Start telling your friends to write it on their calendars.

Wednesday, November 4th:
TOMS Club meeting in the Journalism room 509.

Thursday, November 5th:
We will be participating in the eCampusWIDE Philanthropies Gone Wild event! During the day there will be a scavenger hunt that has a prize potential of $600 for our club. At night there is a party with many more opportunities to promote TOMS, as well as receive drink specials downtown!

If you haven't, please go to eCampusWIDE UGA's new social networking site and sign up with referral code TOMS to help support our club.

Wednesday, November 11th:
TOMS Club meeting in the SLC room 268.

Saturday, November 14th:
TOMS Tailgate Party! We have reserved a spot at Herty Field from 12-4 for the tailgate! We are going to have food, drinks, games, music, and a Style Your Sole Event. Not to mention some awesome TOMSatUGA Koozies!! Yay! It's going to be tons of fun!

Wednesday, November 18th:
TOMS Club meeting in the Journalism room 509.

Wednesday, December 2nd:
TOMS Club meeting in the SLC room 268. Last meeting of the semester, I'm thinking TOMS Christmas party?

Hope to see you guys at all the fun events for the semester!! Check the blog regularly for any additional updates!

- Rene'

TOMS Flag Football Tees

2009-10-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

Team name: Tacklers for TOMS

This Saturday, TOMS at UGA will be participating in the AXO Flag Football Tournament. Today, while the boys practiced their plays, the girls made team jerseys.

Open Club Meeting This Wednesday

2009-10-05T13:49:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

All prospective members are welcome to join the newly created TOMS at UGA Campus Club for an open club meeting this Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m. in the Journalism building, room 509.

We will be talking about TOMS, going over the events planned for the semester and welcome any ideas and help promoting the TOMS Club and its events.

Look forward to seeing you all there!

Rene

TOMS Around Town

2009-10-04T14:23:00.001-07:00

Athens has spotted another TOMS Supporter!

On Sunday, October 4th, American Eagle shopper, Vaille Hurt came into the store sporting TOMS Shoes. Vaille is an 8th grade student at Malcom Bridge Middle School in Bogart, Georgia, and when asked why she loves TOMS, she responded, "I love TOMS because they work for a great cause to help children that don't have it as great as we do."

Would you like to be featured in our next TOMS Around Town update? Just wear your TOMS and get spotted by a UGA TOMS Shoes Campus Rep, and you may be the next face of the TOMS Around Town update.

Why shoes?

2009-10-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

Click to enlarge:

pc: TOMS Shoes.

TOMS & Hanson: Use Your Sole Tour

2009-09-16T07:48:00.000-07:00

I know you all remember the band Hanson, the three blonde boys whose first single, Mmmbob, topped the charts in 1997. Since then, Hanson has continued to grow both in their music and their mission. The band has been an avid supporter of TOMS from the beginning, not only by wearing their shoes, but also by participating in Sou th Africa shoe drops and raising money for Friends of TOMS by hosting one-mile barefoot walks before the start of each show. These walks are also helping to spread awareness of the lack of amenities such as shoes, clean water, education and healthcare available around the world and fund efforts to provide these necessities.

So far, Hanson and their devoted following have walked 28,201 miles, enough to walk around the world, and are well into their second lap. The third leg of their tour will be the Use Your Sole Tour with HelloGoodbye, which is scheduled to kick off in Hanson's hometown of Tulsa, Okla. on September 30 and finish up in San Diego on November 8.

During the Use Your Sole tour, Hanson and fellow tour mates HelloGoodbye, Steel Train & Sherwood will continue taking part in the one-mile walks before each show to benefit Friends of TOMS.

The tour dates closest to Athens, Ga. and UGA are October 22 at Amos' Southend in Charlotte, N.C., October 26 at Workplay Soundstage in Birmingham, Al., and October 28 at the Tabernacle in Atlanta. Tickets are $25 or $18.75 each for a four pack.

To learn more about Hanson's efforts and to locate a barefoot walk near you visit TaketheWalk.net.

Introducing new lace-up TOMS: Cordones.

2009-09-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

Named after 19th century Argentine writers who stood up for their passions in the mid-nineteenth century, the TOMS Cordones are a new, trendy TOMS style that stays true to the original alpargata shape and offers fun, fall fashion rooted in giving.

New Limited Edition DMB TOMS

2009-07-31T07:05:00.000-07:00

Great news! TOMS Shoes and Dave Mathews Band have teamed up to release two styles of Limited Edition DMB TOMS designed by Dave himself!

The collaboration with TOMS originated when the band, inspired by the One for One movement, offered to be the official sponsor of the Spring TOMS Vagabond Tour. Tracks from the band’s critically-acclaimed new album, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, were featured on the tour, which traveled to college and high school campuses to engage some of the nation’s most socially-minded youth.

Dave designed the shoes personally and the shoes are vegan-friendly, made with 67% sustainable hemp and 33% recycled PET plastic bottles. The sole contains recycled rubber.

The limited-edition Fire Dancer TOMS and Sun TOMS are available on tour with the band and online at www.davematthewsband.com, and as always, with every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One.

Win big & give back with TOMS + Element

2009-06-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

This past February, TOMS announced an exciting collaboration with Element Skateboards. In addition to 5 limited edition TOMS + Element shoes, the two companies teamed up to create a One for One skateboard. With every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. As part of the One for One collaboration, with every skateboard purchased, Element will give a skateboard to a child in need in Durban, South Africa.

This October, TOMS, Element, and volunteers will head out to Durban to deliver matched pairs of TOMS shoes and skateboards… and they want YOU to be part of the adventure.

To enter write a 1,000 word essay or record a 3-minute video telling TOMS why you want to be part of the TOMS + Element South Africa Shoe + Board Drop this October. TWO winners will be chosen this August!

To learn more visit Element and submit your application.

Back on board

2009-06-04T15:57:00.000-07:00

Hey all! It's been over a month since we last saw each other. Summer began, vacations were taken and now its time to get back into the swing of things.

Here are some new developments since the last post:

The wonderful TOMS at UGA PR team has graduated and are moving on to bigger and better things (a.k.a. real jobs and grad school) leaving the TOMS stuff to me, Rene', and the other UGA TOMS Campus Reps.

We're all working together with TOMS to start a TOMS Campus Club at UGA for Fall '09 to share the One for One mission on campus and help spread awareness of the change a pair of shoes can make in a child’s life. Anyone interested in joining the club or who wants to keep updated on new TOMS at UGA developments, email us at TOMSatUGA@gmail.com.

TOMS has released new summer styles, from palm tree & anchor prints to seersucker and new rope-soled styles. Check out TOMS' website and trade in those flip flops for TOMS.

"One Day Without Shoes" Montage

2009-04-28T08:18:00.001-07:00

A recap of the "One Day Without Shoes" event at Brumby Beach. Thank you to everyone who participated! The day was a great success!

Fun Pic Thursday

2009-04-23T07:36:00.000-07:00

Harry Dawg loves TOMS

photo courtesy of Rene Smith

Earth TOMS

2009-04-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday many students across campus will go out of their way to promote and participate in green initiatives in honor of Earth Day. TOMS at UGA will take part in an Earth Day celebration sponsored by the Go Green Alliance titled “It's SO Easy Being Green!”

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the TOMS team will be in Tate Plaze raising awareness about the ways TOMS Shoes works to help the environment. In addition to being committed to its “one for one” mission, the company works to make its shoes as eco-friendly as possible.

Several shoe styles are available that are 100 percent vegan, meaning no animal bi-products were used in the making of the shoes. The dye of many styles of shoes is lead-free. In the newer styles, the soles are made of a recycled rubber blend. The April 2009 edition of 'InStyle' magazine included TOMS Shoes on its list of fashion-forward items winning a “green award.”

Not only are you helping children in need when you purchase TOMS, but you are also helping the environment. TOMS Shoes is truly dedicated to producing “shoes for tomorrow” in every way possible.

Lesson Learned

2009-04-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

We did it. On Thursday students were showing up to class barefoot all over campus. Two hundred and fifty people were spotted shoeless at our Brumby Beach event alone! We jumped, danced, ate, colored and played in the perfect spring weather.

Halfway through a walk from Brumby Beach to the arch, my tender, winter feet began to feel some major pain. I stubbed my toes, burnt my feet on the pavement, cringed through the rocky parts and did a small jig when I made it to the cool tile of the MLC. In short, I'm spoiled. My walk was only for about 30 minutes and all I could think of were the children who walk barefoot for miles. That’s a powerful way to realize how much we take for granted.

Together the TOMS Shoes team increased awareness of the company's mission and of the 40 percent of the world that goes without wearing shoes every day. I’ve been working with TOMS Shoes for months now, but never before was its message more apparent to me than it was on Thursday.

Thank you to those who came out to Brumby Beach and sacrificed a little bit of comfort to walk in the steps of those who go barefoot every day.

2009-04-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

2009-04-16T07:34:00.000-07:00

Today is the day! “One Day Without Shoes” officially started at Brumby Beach. Join the TOMS at UGA team, kick off those shoes of yours, and “bare your sole” from noon to 6 p.m., with a barefoot walk to Bolton Dining commons to end the day at 5:30 p.m.

Not only are we here to play barefoot on the super-cool jumping machine, decorate our newest TOMS Shoes, sport our latest pedicure barefoot or hang out with Joel in his man TOMS … but we are here to honor the 40 percent of the population who walks without shoes everyday.

If you’re still not sure what TOMS is all about, it’s simple: people are suffering from diseases they acquire in their lives without shoes. These diseases, which make them outcasts and cause a host of medical problems, are 100% preventable. They just need shoes.
So girls, boys, dawgs, faculty, staff, townies – if you’re in Athens today then make your way to Brumby Beach today from noon through 6 p.m.

48 Hours and Counting!

2009-04-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

The count down is officially underway: only two days until “One Day Without Shoes!”

Although it may be dreary and rainy today, we checked the weather report, spoke with the gods and are assured the sun will be shining on Thursday! We should have some nice, dry spring grass to play around in our bare feet.

While we may joke about Claire’s affinity for Blake Mycoskie and Joel’s love of Man TOMS, we haven’t lost focus on TOMS Shoes’ mission.

More than two billion people, that’s 40 percent of the world, walk without shoes each day. Think about how many shoes are in your closet right now and compare it to this statistic; astonishing, isn’t it?

Even more unbelievable is the fact that podoconiosis, a disease that causes extreme swelling, ulcers and deformity in the feet and legs, is 100 percent preventable by wearing shoes. 100 percent preventable! What a difference one pair of shoes can make.

If you are debating whether to take your shoes off for a day, a class or even an hour, then draw strength from the alarming number of people who live without this luxury each day. Walk barefoot with pride knowing that with each step you take, you raise awareness for billions around the world, not only making their lives more comfortable, but saving them as well.

Photo provided by Lindsay Lamphere from the South African shoe drop in 2007

Fun Pic Thursday Once Again!

2009-04-09T07:46:00.000-07:00

It's "Fun Pic Thursday" once again! Here is your weekly dose of TOMS pics from Relay For Life last Friday.

One Day Without Shoes

2009-04-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

“One Day Without Shoes” is right around the corner! We only have one week, and we are working around the clock to get people excited about this event.

“One Day Without Shoes” is a national day of recognition, led by TOMS Shoes, of the 40 percent of the world who live without shoes every day. Forty percent! Just take a minute to think about how many different pairs of shoes we each have – a pair for running, a casual pair, dress shoes, even a pair to wear around the house – and realize how much a pair of shoes impacts a life.

To raise awareness of this issue, we are hosting a concert on the University of Georgia’s Brumby Beach complete with a moonwalk, food, a TOMS Shoes documentary showing and opportunities to speak with the TOMS Shoes campus representative Rene Smith. We are also having a “Style Your Sole” party for people who pre-ordered a pair of TOMS shoes. The best part is that we will all be barefoot!

Join us for the event April 16 or pledge to go barefoot for the whole day or just long enough to raise awareness about this issue.

Spreading the word- One step at a time!

2009-04-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

As you know, the TOMS at UGA team attended the University of Georgia's Relay for Life Friday, and it was a blast!

The highlight of the night was the barefoot lap. At 8:30 p.m., our team, many of our friends and a few TOMS fans endured the blustery weather and walked shoeless around the track in honor of those who go shoeless every day. As we walked holding our TOMS flags with pride, we shared the story of TOMS Shoes and the purpose of One Day Without Shoes. The excitement for One Day Without Shoes is mounting as we continue to spread the word around campus and prepare to bare our soles!

Several attendees were interested in learning about TOMS Shoes and its mission as well as the upcoming on-campus events. We collected numerous uniquely decorated paper feet stating the amount of time students pledge to go barefoot April 16 for One Day Without Shoes. A few people also browsed through the TOMS catalog to pre-order shoes for the "Style Your Sole" party that will be held during our One Day Without Shoes extravaganza.

TOMS at Relay For Life

2009-04-02T15:26:00.000-07:00

TOMS at UGA will be at Relay For Life on Friday, April 3.

In true TOMS style, there will be a barefoot lap at 8 p.m. during the Relay as a preview for One Day Without Shoes on April 16.

From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. we will distribute promotional codes for free shipping, so look for our TOMS banner with blue and white balloons.

You can also save $5 by pre-ordering TOMS shoes to be delivered on April 16 at the One Day Without Shoes event. To pre-order, bring cash or check with your order information. You can also decorate a paper foot for our TOMS poster.

Please join us by showing support for both TOMS and Relay For Life as we enjoy a night of feet, fun and fundraising.

TOMS Creator on CNBC

2009-04-02T15:12:00.001-07:00

TOMS Shoes creator, Blake Mycoskie, is featured on CNBC as an entrepreneur.

2009-04-01T13:42:00.000-07:00

Style Your Sole

If you were not there you should have been. Last Thursday the TOMS Vagabonds hosted a “Style Your Sole” event at Cine in downtown Athens. There was free food and a documentary showing. But the best part was getting to decorate and design your own pair of TOMS shoes. All you had to do was pick out and purchase your favorite pair of TOMS from a table full of merchandise then get down and dirty with your creative side. The Vagabonds provided spray paint, fabrics, buttons, glue and more all to help your inner artist come out. It was great to see different ideas and creativity emerge through pairs of shoes.

I took my roommate with me. She was a virgin to the cause, and it was a great way to introduce her to the TOMS experience. I bought a T-shirt that read “Drop TOMS not Bombs” and she bought the white TOMS shoes so she could “style her sole.” After she used up the last of the black spray paint, one of the Vagabonds took her picture with what we believe could be the next best seller of TOMS shoes. We left with spray paint stained fingers. It is like taking a piece of your own creativity with you wherever you go, baring your soul on your sole. It was a fun night.
-Katie

Malory Toscano styling her TOMS shoes.

TOMS First Family

2009-03-31T07:59:00.001-07:00

Claire's dream has come true! She finally met Blake at the "Style Your Sole" event at Cine last Thursday; well, sort of.

Fun Pic Thursdays

2009-03-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

On our continuing journey with TOMS, we all received a well-deserved time-off during spring break. Some of us went on cruises, some to Savannah's St. Patty's day parade as well as various places around the country. But throughout our break, we kept TOMS close to our hearts, as you can see from our traveling TOMS pictures that can be seen on our Facebook page. As a tribute to our spring break photos, we decided to start "Fun Pic Thursday," so sit back and enjoy and be sure to check back every Thursday for a new fun pic.

Man-TOMS

2009-03-25T18:14:00.000-07:00

So after Claire’s post, I guess most of you are well-educated, enthusiastic TOMS fans now. However, there is one large issue that was not addressed in any of the videos or Web sites or promotional materials – Man-TOMS.

I am a confident, secure male with a pretty defined, conservative style. At the same time, I think that I possess the attitude such that I can get a little adventurous with my wardrobe and still pull it off. That being said, Man-TOMS have created an internal conflict in me that is the size of Claire’s crush on Blake. The girls I’m working with are encouraging me to rock some Man-TOMS, and to be frank, I think it would be cool to wear a pair. The problem is that I’m just not sure I can pull them off. I’ve seen a few guys around campus sporting Man-TOMS, and they seem to wear them successfully. The whole California look may not be for me, or very common at the University of Georgia, but there’s still something deep down in me that says to buy a pair of Man-TOMS, just try them out.

It would be a $50 gamble – is it worth it? Am I just going to wear them a few times and be done with Man-TOMS? Am I going to start a trend throughout the fraternity world, and then through the whole campus? This Man-TOMS saga to be continued…

-Joel

The Vagabonds are coming! The Vagabonds are coming!

2009-03-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

The official traveling TOMS crew, known as The Vagabonds, will be coming to Athens this Thursday at Ciné. Festivities will begin at 6:00 p.m. with the documentary showing on the big screen at 6:30 p.m. The Vagabonds will be hosting a Style Your Sole event where you can purchase and paint your own pair of TOMS and have a pair donated to a child in need. They will also raffle off Dave Matthews Band tickets and have food catered by Athens’ own, Mama's Boy. Come out and join us for a fun evening, we really hope to see you there!

It's Go Time

2009-03-17T06:57:00.000-07:00

In our first few weeks of research, we have found that not many people really know what the deal is with TOMS Shoes. Lots of students have heard of them or know someone who has a pair (or four like me...obsessive, I know), but few know the story behind them. With that in mind, I thought that this video of TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie explaining how he started TOMS would be a good introduction to what this company is up to and what their mission is all about. And even if a heart-warming back story isn’t your thing, the video is still definitely worth watching….Blake is a stone cold fox. So now that you are an expert on all things TOMS, go and spread the good news and welcome to what promises to be an oh-so-entertaining documentation of the world as we now know it – TOMS Shoes shenanigans.

And for all of our A.D.D friends out there here it is in bullet form:
-Lots of research
-Blake is a total babe
-Shenanigans
-We love TOMS Shoes and so should you

TOMS Love,
Claire

Find out more, see how TOMS was born