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Updated Jan 21st, 2010
Sport Chalet, Soles4Souls
Team Up for Haiti Relief
A Sport Chalet worker receives a donation of used shoes, part of
an effort to assist earthquake victims in Haiti.
Soles4Souls and Sport Chalet
have joined forces to bring shoes to
victims of the catastrophic earthquake
in Haiti.
Sport Chalet will help collect
footwear to support Soles4Souls’
commitment to donate more than
250,000 pairs of shoes to affected
areas. Through Jan. 31, customers at
Sport Chalet’s more than 55 stores
will have the opportunity to drop off
a gently worn pair of shoes. All
donations will directly support relief
efforts.
Soles4Souls (www.giveshoes.org) has partnered with
Operation Compassion, a charity
that mobilizes support for victims of
natural disasters around the world,
to transport and distribute the aid.
Thirty containers of supplies,
including work boots, rain boots,
children’s athletic shoes and clothing
items are already enroute to
Haiti.
“As we struggle to comprehend
the magnitude of this disaster, we
cannot forget how important basic
necessities — such as shoes — will
be in the ongoing rescue and
rebuilding efforts,” said Wayne Elsey, founder and CEO of
Soles4Souls. “We deeply appreciate
the support of Sport Chalet and their
customers in helping us provide
shoes to survivors and volunteers as
they work in horrific conditions.”
The death toll from Tuesday’s
quake continues to rise, and survivors
and rescuers are facing dire
health conditions, including stifling
heat, lack of clean water, broken
glass and raw sewage.
“Being reminded of how fragile
our world is, and seeing the devastation
that has affected so many,
makes it evident that our continued
partnership with charities like
Soles4Souls is more relevant than
ever,” said Craig Levra, chairman
and CEO of Sport Chalet. “With 55
Sport Chalet drop-off locations in
four states, we are asking our customers,
our employees and our vendors
to stop by and donate their gently
worn shoes for those so tragically
affected by the earthquake in
Haiti. Since we live with this same
threat every day, it is a natural
response for Sport Chalet to help,
and we are so pleased to be able to
do so.
"Thus far, our Haiti relief effort
is off the charts. Our customers are
doing more than responding; they're
breaking records. Preliminary numbers
place our current shoe count at
68,000 pairs in just three days! The
folks at Soles4Souls cannot believe
it!"
For more information on how to
get involved and donate to the victims
in Haiti, visit www.giveshoes.org.
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