How does your sole feel today?

Is anyone else out there packing like crazy to go back to school? I know I am! Today as I was going through my closet deciding what to bring to school and what to leave at home I found myself making 2 piles of shoes in my hallway. One I named "Good Shoes" the other was called "Bad Shoes." After a while I started to think about the little mountains of shoes I was creating in my hallway -- were the shoes I was opting to leave at home really "bad shoes?" Grant it my purple Nikes from high school, double buckle Dr. Martens, and worn once Billabong green flip flops I bought one summer at the Jersey shore weren't my first choice to bring back to college with me that doesn't necessarily make them bad. I then remembered that the Nebraska-Iowa District has this really awesome service initiative called "Soles4Souls."

N-I Circle K'ers are working this year with the 501(c)(3) organization in collecting shoes for those in need. To make the deal even sweeter their goal is to collect 500 pairs of shoes by our 2009 CKI International Convention in Birmingham, Alabama. Why 500? Because it is 929 miles to Birmingham from the Nebraska-Iowa district and 500 pairs of shoes symbolizes one shoe for every mile traveled. Pretty cool, huh? That's not all! Within Nebraska-Iowa they are having a friendly competition to see which club can collect the most shoes. The winning club will receive "The Golden Shoe" at N-I's spring District Convention. I don't know about you guys but I think show casing a golden shoe award in your school's CKI office would be pretty rockin'!

To help out with this initiative I am proud to announce I will be donating 10 pairs of shoes to Soles4Souls in the name of the Wayne State College CKI Club (5 pairs) and University of Iowa CKI Club (5 pairs.) At the May 2008 CKI Leadership Academy I had the opportunity to meet and become really good friends with Lukas Rix, Tim McKenna, and Trey Weber from the N-I district and I am excited to donate my shoes to count towards the totals for their home clubs. Hey, what are good friends for? ;)

In closing, I am helping the Nebraska-Iowa District get 20 miles closer to Birmingham - won't you lend a "foot" too? Remember when you are cleaning out your closet to go back to college that those shoes you may put in the "bad shoe" pile could make a world of a difference to someone around the world who may not have shoes. If your club is interested in doing a shoe drive the Soles4Souls organization will help you by providing collection bins, brochures, an informational DVD, and banner. For more information regarding Soles4Souls e-mail Nebraska-Iowa District Governor Lukas Rix or check out the Nebraska-Iowa CKI Web-site. Governor Rix can help you with information on where to send your donation and the N-I service initiative goals.

Your extra pair of shoes could be the first pair for someone in need. Don't miss this opportunity to make a world of a difference in someones life.

Live to Serve -- Love to Serve,

--Kristen