Living in Palo Alto, one might lose sight of the poverty and misfortune the majority of the world deals with on a daily basis. In order to truly understand what others must go through, it is important to experience life by walking in their shoes, or rather, help out by letting them walk in yours.

Action in Africa will be holding a shoe drive at Palo Alto High School from now until April 17 to send students’ old shoes to the people in deprived parts of Africa. Action in Africa’s president, senior Adam Whitfield, and vice-president, junior Brooke Flohr are working with outside organizations, “From our Feet” and “Project Active” to run this drive.

Paly is only one out of the other 10 to 15 schools from the Bay Area participating in the shoe drive. Action in Africa is working with other community service groups and clubs and has helped incorporate Gunn, Castilleja, Leland, and possibly Jordan Middle School into helping with the drive as well.

Whitfield and Flohr will have a booth set up in the quad during lunch on Wednesdays where people can drop off old shoes. There will also be a station in the SAO where students can drop off their shoes.

While the shoes will be shipped from Paly on April 21, on Earth Day (April 22) there will be an event at Paly for those who participated in the drive.

Flohr feels the shoe drive will help not only Africa, but the organization, Action in Africa, as well.

“[The shoe drive] brings more publicity to Action in Africa,” Flohr said. “We are making connections with lots of organizations and schools.”

Action in Africa has high goals for collecting shoes. Whitfield explains that this is the first year having a shoe drive so it is hard to set an actual number of shoes as a goal, however he is hoping for a few thousand pairs altogether with the other schools and clubs involved.

Children’s shoes are preferred for the drive. All smaller shoes in good condition will be sent for people to reuse. Other shoes in poor condition or above a size 12 will be sent to the Nike Grind Program and will recycle the rubber to be made into children’s playgrounds.

Flohr and Whitfield both believe the shoe drive will be very successful and hope to continue it in further years.

“It’s great to be able to give something other than money,” Flohr said.

Leaders of the shoe drive ask that students bring in only athletic shoes or sneakers and please tie the laces of shoe pairs together.

For more information about the shoe drive, contact Whitfield or Flohr at www.actioninafrica.com.