Mona's Journal
True stories from the delivery front from Mona Purdy, Executive Director.American Indian Reservation - South Dakota: August, 2005
Share Your Soles has always had a soft spot for the American Indian population and works with them on an annual basis. It took a full day and a lot of hands, but 1500 pairs of shoes were given out - and roller blades were the biggest hit! Special thanks to the Rosebud Tribal Counsel for helping make this trip a success. Mona Purdy December, 2006 - This past fall, we heard a terrible blizzard blew across the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. the electricity was out. Schools were closed. When they finally re-opened, kids were still unable to attent, due to the heavy snow. Share Your soles immediately put together a shipment of 1000 pairs of children's and adult's shoes and lined the boxes up at the shipping dock. Next to that row, we already had a shipment for Haiti lined up, boxes filled with gym shoes and sandals. Days went by and we received the most beautiful note from Pine Ridge, thanking Share Your Soles for the shoes and sandals they received. I was confused and angry that a mistake had been made, not to mention embarrassed. They, on the other hand, were so grateful. We corrected the mistake, shipping the winter boots they so needed to them immediately. Mona Purdy June, 2006 - A total of 60 cartons of shoes were shipped to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservaion and Rose Bud Indian Reservaions compliments of Federal Express. Mona Purdy and Tanya Walery flew to South Dakota, rented a car and then drove a few hours to distribute the 2500 pairs of shoes for toddlers, children and adults. Working with the tribal counsels, they first went to Rose Bud and worked there for 2 days and then on to Pine Ridge to distribute the shoes there.
Haiti
After a few trips to Haiti under my belt (and some interesting encounters), I realized that the safety situation was an issue that needed addressing. At that point we decided that I had to stay at a secure hotel - fully staffed with armed guards - on top of a mountain in Port-au-Prince. There I met Ronay, a young man who worked at the front desk of the hotel. Ronay functioned as a concierge and made everyone feel not only welcome but special. When you walked into the hotel you were walking into his home. Ronay became a very good friend and provided invaluable assistance distributing shoes to the poor. When we travelled around delivering shoes to the neediest areas in Haiti, he made it his mission to stay by my side and protect me. We visited some of the most desperate and dangerous areas and he always proudly wore his Share Your Soles shirt. The locals knew I was there because I cared, but thought that he was just crazy for being there. On my last trip Ronay wasnt there - he was caught in Hurricane Ernesto while on a little vacation in the Bahamian Islands and was drowned. We lost a very special person and a dear friend. Words cannot describe just how special Ronay was. People that I know value such material things:diamonds, tennis bracelets, sports cars, yachts...Ronay loved wearing his Share Your Soles Tshirt and helping the poor in his torn country.
Mexico
Two years ago I met Mona Purdy in Peru where I was translating for doctors on a medical mission and Mona was delivering shoes. I had the opportunity to help her distribute shoes to some of Peru's neediest children. Ever since then I have made it a priority to do my part to help out at the Share Your Soles processing center. Kids don't have shoes. That's the only motivation I need to put in a few hours of work on a Saturday. This March Mona asked me to deliver shoes to Tijuana, Mexico. This trip reignited the Share Your Soles spark in me. After two years of sorting, polishing, washing, and boxing shoes, I was again able to see the end result: shoes on the feet of kids who need them the most. I wish everybody could experience the joy on the faces of the kids who get our shoes. Words cannot describe it. I delivered 1600 pairs of shoes to kids and families who live in and around a garbage dump. A GARBAGE DUMP! Parts of the large dump have been covered with dirt, upon which makeshift homes have been established. Between these shacks. you can see people scavenging for whatever they might find in the garbage. You can see garbage burning. And you can see children without shoes. As our minivans pulled up to each site where we would distribute shoes, a crowd quickly gathered. The shoes that our volunteers spend hours preparing finally reached their destination. The Share Your Shoes shoes sparkled on the dirt roads as each pair was carefully given to a grateful recipient. I cannot imagine walking on the dirt roads without shoes, let alone scavenging through garbage in my bare feet. It's so simple. We have shoes that we don't use. They need shoes that they don't have. I am grateful to everyone who plays any role in the process of getting the shoes to those who need them. I am especially grateful for the opportunity to represent Share Your Soles in Tijuana. Please continue to support Share Your Soles in whatever way you can. As Mona says, when you follow your heart, everything works out. In the end, only kindness matters. Peace! Ryan Rockaitis
Jamaica
Two years ago I met Mona Purdy in Peru where I was translating for doctors on a medical mission and Mona was delivering shoes. I had the opportunity to help her distribute shoes to some of Peru's neediest children. Ever since then I have made it a priority to do my part to help out at the Share Your Soles processing center. Kids don't have shoes. That's the only motivation I need to put in a few hours of work on a Saturday. This March Mona asked me to deliver shoes to Tijuana, Mexico. This trip reignited the Share Your Soles spark in me. After two years of sorting, polishing, washing, and boxing shoes, I was again able to see the end result: shoes on the feet of kids who need them the most. I wish everybody could experience the joy on the faces of the kids who get our shoes. Words cannot describe it. I delivered 1600 pairs of shoes to kids and families who live in and around a garbage dump. A GARBAGE DUMP! Parts of the large dump have been covered with dirt, upon which makeshift homes have been established. Between these shacks. you can see people scavenging for whatever they might find in the garbage. You can see garbage burning. And you can see children without shoes. As our minivans pulled up to each site where we would distribute shoes, a crowd quickly gathered. The shoes that our volunteers spend hours preparing finally reached their destination. The Share Your Shoes shoes sparkled on the dirt roads as each pair was carefully given to a grateful recipient. I cannot imagine walking on the dirt roads without shoes, let alone scavenging through garbage in my bare feet. It's so simple. We have shoes that we don't use. They need shoes that they don't have. I am grateful to everyone who plays any role in the process of getting the shoes to those who need them. I am especially grateful for the opportunity to represent Share Your Soles in Tijuana. Please continue to support Share Your Soles in whatever way you can. As Mona says, when you follow your heart, everything works out. In the end, only kindness matters. Peace! Ryan Rockaitis
Sri Lanka: April 2005
Arrival in Columbo, Sri Lanka - It's hard to believe that right now, I'm on the other side of the world from Chicago. On the long, bumpy drive to Galle, I realized I was so wrong about what I'd seen and read about Sri Lanka. i thought that everything was okay until the tsunami hit. WRONG!! Sri Lanka has a very large population of very poor individuals - people live in shacks, wear scraps of clothing, and some fight for even a single meal. This extreme poverty was not created by the tsunami, but was heightenedby it. many now live in camps for displaced people, makeshift home (similar to a backyard shed), or tents. The hollowed-out hotels that remained after the tsunami housed many families as well. Fishing boats were destroyed- some were taken away, but many remained behind in memory of the fisherman whose lives were lost at sea. Markers and graves were everywhere. Someone from a local news station in Chicago described the scene to me recently. However, I could not imagine it until I saw it with my own eyes. Day 2: ALONG THE BATTERED COAST Our day started early. The hotel manager of the Beach Hotel in Galle, a few of his staff and I met the truck and our driver and headed first to a girls' orphanage to drop off several boxes and then proceeded to our first camp. It was wild, but wonderful. The kids walked tall-it was as if, after the tsunami, their childhood was over and instantly, they became grown-ups. I could not stop taking pictures. We went to a few more camps and also sent a truck load of shoes up north to several schools. Rebecca, a teacher from Jordan, will distribute them on our behalf. After working nonstop all day, it was finally time to head back to the hotel and take a much deserved shower. Back at the hotel, the staff and their children had gathered to get some shoes. These people work so hard for almost no money. They were all coming up to me and thanking me, bowing, hugging. It was beautiful. I could not have done this day without the hotel manager, his staff and our truck driver, Dennis. Dennis is a stand out guy. He works hard days on a tea plantation and picks up any side work he can to survive. Despite having barely any money, I noticed Dennis never took a pair of shoes for himself. DAY 3 - AN ORPHANED ANGEL One of the little orphan girls at the camp we visited today was angel-like. I could not stop smiling at her. Shes's one I'd snap up and bring home. I had no more shoes for this camp. I had given her nothing other than a smile and a hug, but she asked me - are you coming back? I was especially happy to tell her I'd be back and you know whay? I will. Today I feel content. We went into the heart of extreme need and distributed several thousand pair of shoes. When I'm on a mission, my focus is getting the contacts, the shoes, the volunteers and serving the people who need. Mission accomplished. Mona Purdy
US - Texas - KATRINA: September, 2005
Share Your Soles responds to Hurricane Katrina! After monitoring the news and the relief efforts of various organizations in the days immediately following Katrina, I decided Houston, Texas would be our primary destination given that the majoriry of the thousands of displaced people from the New Orleans area were living in temporary shelters there. It took only a few days to pull this important trip together. With the help of many volunteers, we organized getting 20 pallets of shoes 9over 10,000 pairs) cleaned, paired, boxed and loaded onto a 53-foot semi donated by Nexus Distribution. We also included 30 cases of bottled water that was graciously donated by Palos Bank and the alleruzzo family. On September 12, SYS volunteer Kim Corteen and I flew via American Airlines to Houston to ensure the timely delivery of the shoes to evacuees. We spent the first day assessing the greatest needs of the thousands of residents now living in various shelters in Houston. Although many of the shelters had begun turning away dpmatopms. quality footwear was still a need. In fact, many only had the one pair of shoes they had been wearing when they evacuated or a pair of cheap flip flops. After making the necessary contacts, we were finally authorized to distribute the shoes inside of the Reliant Center the following day. The next day, Kim and I, with the help of our on-site logistics contact Vince, our truck driver Butch, several Red Cross volunteers, and members of the National Guard, unloaded the 20 pallets of shoes and set up a free 'shoe store' inside the convention center. Announcements were made and all of the residents in the Reliant Center and Astrodome were allowed to come though (20 people at a time) and choose at least 2 pairs of shoes each. We had shoes for everyone-babies, kids, teens, adults and slipperw were the biggest hit because the stadiums and convention centers have cold, hard cement floors. Overall, the day was a tremendous success and the evacuees wer very kind and appreciative. it was a great example of several different organizations working together to service a need. The following week, another shipment of 1,000 pairs was sent to Louisiana and distributed to evacuees by SYS volunteer Anne Tarbell, who was already on site volunteering with her husband. Special Thanks to our Reliant Center Contact Vince Martinez, Hilton Americas-Houston, Nexus Distribution, American Airlines, FedEx, Fleet Feet and ALL the volunteers in Chicago and Houston! Mona Purdy
