The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference collected shoes to benefit One World Running at the WIAC Cross Country Championships hosted by UW-Whitewater in Whitewater, Wisconsin October 31.

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Update on October 31:  A wonderful response from all teams.  The picture above includes representatives from all nine teams and WIAC commissioner Dr. Gary Karner (in white baseball hat on the right).

Update on October 28: In response, Ana, from One World Running quotes,  "We have shipments going to Cuba and Kenya next month, and yours will likely go on a big shipment to Haiti.  We have a small budget used to send the shoes overseas(and to Native Americans here, as well.)  What helps is asking people donating shoes to chip in .50 or a dollar, to help defray costs.  Local shipping firms have in the past donated shipping."

Background Information:  The UW-Whitewater cross country team was the moving force behind this effort.  

"Our cross country team got involved in the One World Running program this past spring and it was a big success," Miller said.  "The team wanted to do it again this year and wanted to expand it to the other conference schools as part of the WIAC Cross Country Championships.  Runners go through so many shoes that we thought this would be a great way to get involved in a very worthwhile program, helping others in need and recycling old shoes which would end up in a landfill."

One World Running is an international program promoting an awareness of health, fitness and nutrition by providing running shoes to those in need in the United States and around the world.  The group recently expanded to include soccer and baseball equipment.  Some of the donated shoes that are nearly new are shipped overseas.  The worn shoes are sent to Nike for the Eco-Cycle program to be ground up and made into running track and playgrounds through the Reuse-A-Shoe program.

The UW-Whitewater Student Athlete Advisory Council drive last spring collected 220 pairs of shoes.

Anyone can donate shoes, or soccer and baseball cleats, to the collection in Whitewater.  For more information contact Jeff Miller at 262-472-5648 or millerjr@uww.edu.  

The UW-Whitewater cross country course begins and ends west of Kachel Fieldhouse on campus.  Although the Warhawks held a meet on the course earlier this fall, the WIAC meet will be the first to completely utilize the new course.  The women's competition begins at 12:00 and the men's at 1:00.  Awards ceremonies will follow the meet.

Update on October 28: In response, Ana, from One World Running quotes,  "We have shipments going to Cuba and Kenya next month, and yours will likely go on a big shipment to Haiti.  We have a small budget used to send the shoes overseas(and to Native Americans here, as well.)  What helps is asking people donating shoes to chip in .50 or a dollar, to help defray costs.  Local shipping firms have in the past donated shipping."



For additional information:  Jeff Miller