One World Running Offers Running Shoe Recycling
March 4, 2008
One World Running is an international organization that donates used running shoes to needy individuals in the U.S. and across the globe. In addition to running shoe recycling, One World Running also promotes awareness of health, fitness and nutrition. The organization also sponsors 5K walks and runs as part of this awareness initiative; the events also are designed to generally foster goodwill and understanding amongst people.
This innovative running shoe recycling group was masterminded by a small group of runners in 1986 in Boulder, Colorado. Since then, the group has collected, washed and shipped countless donated used running shoes, t-shirts and shorts to Third World countries. Besides donated used running shoes and clothing, One World Running also ships medicine, school supplies and art supplies.
The idea for the running shoe recycling organization was born when sports journalist Mike Sandrock returned from a racing and coaching trip in Cameroon, West Africa. Many of the Cameroon runners ran barefoot. And although they didn’t even have donated used running shoes to wear, many of them beat Mike! Mike, along with other elite runners from Boulder–including Lorraine Moller, Steve Jones and Arturio Barrios–then began shipping donated used running shoes to Africa.
The running shoe recycling efforts expanded to include additional runners, who ship clothing and donated used running shoes to needy athletes and children throughout the world. Athletic equipment has also been added to shipments of donated used running shoes and clothing; this includes soccer cleats and baseball equipment. One World Running is powered completely by 100 percent volunteer fuel.
One World Running began an annual fundraiser in 2001 for the Shoes 4 Africa shoe recycling program. The West End 3K criterium road race in downtown Boulder raises much-needed funds for this important shoe recycling program. Each $195 raised will send approximately 50 pairs of donated used running shoes to sub-Saharan Africa, or approximately 100 pairs of donated used running shoes to Haiti or Central America.
Community Plaza Laundromat in Boulder provides the free service of washing donated used running shoes. If you want to wash your donated used running shoes yourself, that’s fine; just remember to wash them in cold water and air dry them. Using the dryer is likely to melt the glue in the running shoes!
Here are locations where you can drop off or ship donated used running shoes for One World Running:
* Daily Camera Newspaper, Attn: sports department, 1048 Pearl Street, Boulder, CO 80302
* Fleet Feet Sports, 2624 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80302; 303.939.8000
* Bolder Boulder, 5500 Central Ave., Suite #110, Boulder, CO 80301
* Richmond, Virgina area: see www.RunRichmond.com
* Runner’s Den, 361 Main St., Port Dover, Ontario, Canada.
Most donated used running shoes come from individuals, running clubs or organizations such as Girl Scout troops that hold donated used running shoe drives. Any brand-new or near-new shoes are shipped. Any shoes not suitable for shipping are sent to Nike’s Reuse A Shoe program to be ground into material that’s used for running tracks and playgrounds.
For more information about One World Running’s shoe recycling program, call 303.473.1314; 720.304.2878; or e-mail anaweir@yahoo.com or sandrock@boulderrunning.com.
Comments
Got something to say?
