Last year on April 10th the Glik’s home office staff gathered under the Arch with our friends/family to raise awareness and celebrate the TOMS shoes campaign One Day Without Shoes. We invited the public to join in on our games, eat yummy pizza from IMO’s, and put their best foot forward (literally) by creating a bit of art.
Our afternoon was sunny and bright, but don’t let that fool you… It was still very cold and windy outside. The ground felt cold and hard beneath our feet, and the grass was stiff from winter’s harsh treatment. It did not contour to each step we took, as it would have in the warmer spring or summer seasons. By the end of the day our feet ached from the ground debris and were numb due to the elements. This was the most important lesson behind ODWS. We were able to learn what it felt like, for several hours, to not have shoes to protect our feet.
Personally, I spent the whole day without shoes. This included walking in rock strewn parking lots, stubbing my toes on various rocks, twigs, steps, and desk legs. Worst of all, I had to walk barefoot into a public restroom because I could no longer hold myself, which was the most disgusting thing EVER. I felt gross, embarrassed, (secretly) whiney, and ashamed for having those– so self-absorbed– complaints. Having shoes is actually a luxury, and I have a closet full of them, but most don’t even serve an actual function.
Oh, and the stares…
People actually gawked, which made me feel slightly overexposed. Some people approached me and asked why I was barefoot, which was nice. It felt really good to be able to share with others the reason why I was without my shoes. This is the goal behind TOMS One Day Without Shoes movement.
One Day Without Shoes has helped to raise awareness for the millions of people, throughout the world, who don’t own shoes. It shows those who participate how it feels to go a day without them, and what we can do to help those in need!
We are excited to invite you to please participate this year with us on Tuesday, April 16th 2013 for TOMS shoes One Day Without Shoes event!