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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Sneakers...recycled for a cause

What do an injury, a runner and a bunch of used sneakers have in common? The answer is Greg Woodburn. This student at the University of Southern California started a unique charity called Share Our Soles. The purpose of S.O.S. is to provide sneakers to underprivileged children in the United States and other countries. But these aren't "let's run to Walmart and buy some shoes for kids" kind of sneakers. They are sneakers previously worn by runners like Woodburn and others.

When hip and knee injuries tripped up Woodburn's high school track season back in 2006, it got him thinking about the benefits of running. When the realization hit him that there were kids all over the world who didn't even have shoes to run in, he started a campaign to gather 100 pairs of shoes to distribute for Christmas. He didn't dream big enough! More than 500 pairs of slightly worn sneakers were cleaned up and handed out that year, with over 3,000 pairs donated since then.Woodburn, himself, has personally cleaned nearly all of them, with occasional help from his parents and trackmates. Some shoes get tossed in the washer and some are hand scrubbed.

Coming along side him in the cause is a nonprofit organization called Sports Gift that sends soccer and baseball equipment to children across the globe. Keven Baxter, founder and president of Sports Gift, seemed like the likely choice when Woodburn sought out someone to ship the sneakers.

Since its inception, Share Our Soles has branched out to include chapters at USC, the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts and the original one in Ventura, California. In addition to recycling the gently used shoes, S.O.S. also sells wristbands and socks as a way to provide funding for new shoes and socks for underprivileged children. They are in the process of changing their name and website to Give Running. With an emphasis on sneakers, they also collect boots and other footwear.

It is refreshing to hear about a teenager who, rather than moaning about his life, turns things around to benefit others. And so, today's Greeny Award goes to Greg Woodburn...and to his parents, who were successful in raising a kid in today's "give me" society who actually lives his life giving to others.

Keeping it green,

Hana

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