TOMS shoes at FSU: For Tomorrow: The TOMS Shoes Story

Hooray! First post of the FSU TOMS Blogspot! Well i am excited to finally give back to a truly inspiring organization. here is an entry that I (Brian Varela, Campus Rep) posted on my tumblr/facebook:

sooo, I know that almost every other word out of my mouth has to do about TOMS shoes. but never would I have imagined how much this simple idea would have impacted my life. TOMS are more than shoes, more than just a fashion statement: TOMS is about giving. It is about giving a chance to those who probably would never have one. For every pair of shoes that is purchased, one pair is donated to a child in need. So when you see a person walking down the street wearing these fun shoes, you know that a child’s life, somewhere in the world, is being impacted by that purchase.

I first learned about TOMS from my friend Sydney, when she was rocking a pair of TOMS classics. I was totally drawn to them, and was drawn in by their mission. I suddenly saw everyone walking around campus with these fun, stylish shoes! I then participated with the One Day Without Shoes event, even without having owned a single pair of TOMS. Now I own four pairs. I look at what TOMS means to me, and they aren’t just about looking fashionable, but about making a difference.

This evening, I finally had the chance to sit down and watch For Tomorrow: The TOMS Shoes Story. This 35-minute documentary takes you to the beginning of this revolutionary business. Blake Mycoskie was an entrepreneur who visited Argentina and was impacted by the poverty of some rural Argentinian villages, with many basic necessities missing such as clean water and education. But One thing that really struck his was the lack of shoes on the children’s feet. Many of them had blisters and infection on their feet, and the simple idea of having shoes can prevent 100% of these podiatric problems. He then created the idea of One-for-One. At first, the idea was laughed at, but with perseverance, he went on to create this life changing business.

This documentary is a powerful piece of film that shows one what the powerful impact of caring and giving can do for one person, being at the receiving end, or the person giving.

Through the TOMS Campus Club here at FSU, we will be hosting a screening of this truly moving documentary in the coming months. There will first be an interest meeting for any who want to be more informed about this wonderful organization, or to anyone just looking to share the TOMS experience. I highly suggest joining the TOMS Shoes at FSU group on facebook, follow the FSU TOMS blog at http://tomsfsu.blogspot.com/ or ask any TOMS Campus Representative, including myself, about any upcoming events. This organization is truly such a unique, and powerful group, and I encourage everyone to join this One-for-One movement.