Troy Track Cares

By: Caleb Odom The Troy track and field team is showing those less fortunate that it cares by taking part in the Soles4Souls shoe drive. Soles4Souls is an organization that collects shoes and distributes them to those in need. The idea began back in 2004 after Southeast Asia was ravaged by a tsunami that left countless people without simple things like shoes. Wayne Elsey, the founder of the organization Soles4Souls, reached out to some shoe industries and was able to procure a quarter of a million shoes to those affected by the natural disaster. When hurricane Katrina rocked Louisiana and parts of Mississippi, Elsey was able to send over a million pairs of shoes to the victims of the tropical storm. With this much success, the founder decided to make Soles4Souls a non-profit organization that runs year-round with the slogan of “changing the world one pair at a time.” The organization currently takes in contributions of shoes from footwear companies to churches with the objective of supplying the needs of those without. Soles4Souls has even branched out into Clothes4Souls and Hope4Souls, which collects clothing and other things for those in need. Trojan track and field has teamed up with Soles4Souls to help others and is collecting shoes through the month of April. "Events like these are what we're all about,” Troy cross country coach Jeff Jenkins said. There are four drop box locations on campus for shoes to be donated for this cause. There is a box in the Trojan Center near the newspaper stand, another box in SAGA near the downstairs lobby and two boxes in the track and field locker rooms. “We have already received over fifty pairs of shoes, and we are getting more every day,” Jenkins said. The drop boxes will be moved to accept shoe donations at the Coach “O” Track and Field Invitational on Saturday, April 27. “I'm proud of all of our men and women for helping out with such a great cause," Jenkins said.