Some students at the University walked around campus yesterday without shoes for a cause. ‘I’ve been barefoot all day, you can tell people are looking but it’s not that odd,’ senior Leah Mowry said. ‘It’s for an important cause, and I really like contributing to the company [TOMS] because I like helping people.’ Mowry, an art major, participated in the ‘TOMS One Day Without Shoes’ event, which took place all day. TOMS (‘Shoes for Tomorrow’) was founded by former ‘Amazing Race’ contestant Blake Mycoskie to help children in need by donating one pair of shoes for every pair purchased. Donated shoes go to people in countries like Ethiopia and Argentina to prevent the foot disease podoconiosis, which is entirely cured just by wearing shoes. Senior Kyle Chesser, a supply chain management major, heard about the opportunity to hold the event on campus when Mycoskie contacted him. Mycoskie challenged Chesser and other TOMS internship hopefuls to market the event and spread awareness about the company. Within one week, Chesser posted fliers and spread the word through a Facebook event to create buzz about the ‘One Day Without Shoes.’ ‘The whole purpose is to get people aware there are some people without shoes in the world,’ Chesser said. ‘It’s such a great cause and supporting the company [TOMS] is a great way to give back.’ Shoeless supporters, totaling about 40 to 50 people, gathered together at the Union Oval around 7 p.m. last night, where they relaxed and beat drums, threw the frisbee and played volleyball. Senior Kelsey Francis, a tourism and event planning major, thought going shoeless the entire way was a great way to spread the word about TOMS shoes and Mycoskie’s cause. ‘I think spreading awareness is always beneficial,’ Francis said. ‘I didn’t wear shoes all day and I was telling everybody about the cause.’ Since its foundation in 2006, TOMS has sold and donated over 300,000 pairs of shoes. Chesser, as the head planner for his ‘Style Your Sole Party’ for TOMS, received over 40 shoe orders to support the cause. To order TOMS shoes and receive a discount, contact Chesser at [email protected]. All styles available can be found at the TOMS Web site.