Decorate Shoes to Help Needy Children in March

The National Art Honors Society at Menomonee Falls High School is hosting a TOMS Style Your Sole Event on March 25 to help protect the feet of needy children around the world.

Participants in the the Style Your Sole Event will purchase a pair of TOMS shoes to decorate. The event is open to anyone in the community and kids are welcome to attend and design a shoe. The event begins at 3:15 p.m. and lasts until 5:30 p.m.

“You do not need to be 'artistic' to attend. The NAHS members will be there to help and assist in the designing,” said NAHS member Caleb Brose.

Brose was inspired to bring this event to MFHS when his brother bought a pair from their website.  Not only can people decorate a pair of shoes, they can also help a child in need when they come to this benefit event.

TOMS is a shoe manufacturer based in Santa Monica, CA that markets their canvas shoes based on their one-for-one model. The company was founded with a selling model that provides a pair of canvas shoes to a child in need for every pair sold.

When customers buy this brand of shoe they ensure that another child’s feet are protected from soil-transmitted diseases, cuts, and sores in one of the 24 developing countries that the company’s founder, American traveler Blake Mycoskie, has selected to distribute shoes.

Adults can create their own personalized shoes for $50, and kids for $40.  Kids under age 13 must be accompanied by an adult, although the adult doesn’t need to decorate their own shoes.  Natural canvas shoes will be provided as well as paint, sharpies, and design ideas from the NAHS students.

“The National Art Honors Society at Menomonee Falls High School is made of art students who excel and want to bring art to their school and community,” said Nicole Zywiec, NAHS publicity chairperson.

NAHS has 26 members who meet every other week after school to plan school and community art outreach events.

To register for the event, fill out an order form, then mail it with a check to MFHS art instructor Terra Chmielewski, MFHS/ NAHS Toms, W142 N8101 Merrimac Dr., Menomonee Falls, WI 53051.  Order forms must be received by March 9 to ensure that the correct shoe sizes will be available.

For more information, contact Chmielewski at MFHS, 262-255-8444.  If you would like more information about TOMS, visit their website at www.toms.com.

Student Bands Playing to Donate Shoes to Needy Children

There will also be a Benefit Concert in the MFHS auditorium from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m March 25. The proceeds will be donated to the TOMS company.  Admission is free with a pair of decorated shoes, or $3 at the door.

There will be several bands playing acoustic style music during the concert.

Thieves Theme will be one of the bands playing.  They are made up of four MFHS juniors who play blues music together - Joe Krivichi on guitar, Garrett Bentzler on guitar, Nick Dorst on bass, and Kirk Hallberg on drums.  They have been playing together for more than a year, and will also be opening for the Cold War Kids on March 12 at The Rave.