knoxville daily sun
knoxville news knoxville daily sun lifestyle business knoxville sports travel knoxville classifieds knoxville jobs knoxville legal notices knoxville yellow pages smoky mountains contact facebook twitter linkedin rss entertainment knoxville advertising

Soles4Souls® Inc. Needs Shoes for Victims of Earthquake and Tsunami in Asia

NASHVILLE -- Soles4Souls® Inc., the shoe charity, began assessing the international damage from the earthquake in Japan only hours after the 8.9 magnitude quake set off more than 50 tsunami warnings from the Japanese islands to the west coast of the US. The effects of the quake are still developing, but it has left more than 1000 dead and 600 injured in Japan alone. The charity, along with its partners in Indonesia and throughout Asia, has staged relief aid containers in preparation for the possible widespread devastation.

Individuals interested in supporting Soles4Souls' relief efforts can drop shoes off at Foot Solutions, 7240 Kingston Pike or at Logan Magic Shoe Care, 3635 Western Avenue in Knoxville. Individuals can also text the word SHOES to 20222 to donate $5.

"We are saddened by the devastation and are continuing to monitor the developing effects of this powerful quake," said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. "As with any natural disaster, our concerns also turn to the nations like Indonesia and the Philippines where the damage could be greater because of the lack of resources. We are fully equipped for an extensive response should the need prove to be as widespread as our partners are predicting," he added.

The charity will keep a close eye on the increasing need and respond accordingly, with as many as 100,000 shoes allocated for the quick response. The initial quake, which struck a few hundred miles outside of Tokyo, was followed by a series of 30 aftershocks with magnitudes of 6 to 7, according to the Japanese Prime Minister.

According to Elsey, a pair of decent shoes is absolutely necessary in order to participate effectively in rescue and rebuilding efforts among broken glass, twisted metal and raw sewage.

For more information on how to get involved and donate to the victims in Southeast Asia, visit www.giveshoes.org.

Published March 12, 2011

Share |


Subscribe to Knoxville Daily Sun
 


     
knoxville daily sun Knoxville Daily Sun
2011 Image Builders
User Agreement | Privacy Policy