TOMS at CMU hosting fundraiser to help shoeless children
An organization that donates shoes, healthcare and water to those in need all over the world, TOMS at CMU is hosting a fundraiser to help the disadvantaged.
Beginning at 9 p.m. Friday, members of the organization will be at Hunter’s Ale House for what they are calling “Rock Your TOMS Off.” While the organization serves to raise awareness to TOMS and its efforts to help children around the world, Public Relations Chairwoman Taylor Rankin said Friday’s fundraiser will raise money to buy shoes for children at Detroit Mercy Hospital.
“It’s spreading awareness, but we do fundraisers to raise money so we can do kind of a one-for-one program and give back,” the Port Huron senior said. “Before we send them off, we get the shoes here and do a 'Style Your Soul Day.' We decorate them and then send them over.”
One For One is a program in which TOMS donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of shoes purchased by a customer.
South Lyon senior Emily Huckabone, president of the organization, said TOMS has come out with more products available for the One For One project. Customers can now purchase TOMS sunglasses to donate sight-saving surgery and medical care, or a bag of coffee to donate 140 liters of water.
“It goes back to the community that they’re getting the coffee from,” Huckabone said. “They’re not taking jobs from people either.”
Friday’s event is open to people 18 and older and is asking for donations at the door. T-shirts will be available for sale.
The event will also feature local Michigan band, Marc Summerz and the Double Darez.
“They played last year at our event,” Rankin said. “This year we’re having them play for two hours since '90s bands are always so much fun and they were so fun last year.”
