Cross country coach Ernie Lee has decided to put on a shoe collection for charity through an organization called ProjectActive.

“I heard about the organization through Nick McFalls;” Lee said. “He’s the founder of a different shoe collection program that just joined with ProjectActive. Nick’s been doing shoe collections for several years now and he asked if we wanted to participate.” McFalls, a colleague of Lee’s, was head of From Our Feet, also brought sport shoes to third world countries.

“I’m hoping that we can get to the point where everyone on the team brings at least one pair,” Lee said. “On terms of the whole school I’m hoping we will raise at least 500 pairs.” Varsity runners should watch out; if they don’t bring at least one pair, Ernie said, “I cut their feet off.” Junior cross country runner and Key Club president Tommy Huang has volunteered to put on the fundraiser. “I’ve been working on getting a club charter,” Huang said. “[Ernie] basically asked me to organize everything.”

While sport shoes are recommended, shoes of any style and condition will be happily taken. “It is just a good idea,” Huang said. “You are taking things people don’t use and giving them to people who could use them. You know the saying ‘One man’s trash is another man’s treasure’? it is just like that.”

The first batch will be collected on Oct. 19 at the Running of the Bulls fun run, which will be held at Gunn from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The shoes collected will be sent to India. If you would like to sign up for the run, go to www.active.com.

As of now, according to ProjectActive, 2000 shoes have been delivered to Afghanistan, 800 shoes and 27 soccer balls were brought to Kenya, 500 of both were taken to Palau and 300 were distributed to less privileged areas over the entire United States.

What: First Shoe Collection

Where: Gunn

When: Aug. 19, 9-11 AM

Who: head coach Ernie Lee and junior Tommy Huang

How: To sign up for the run, go to www.active.com

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.” -Nelson Mandela (www.projectactive.org)