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On a side note, this was the most difficult set to rank. How is one awesome Shoe Drop moment better than another awesome Shoe Drop moment? So please, take the ranking with a grain of salt. They’re all number 1’s in our book.

10. Argentina, April 2009: Have you ever seen a happier face?

9. South Africa, October 2009: Boys will be boys.

Photo credit: Marc Falkenstien

8. Argentina, January 2009: Chief Shoe Giver is a pro at hand placing TOMS.

7. South Africa, October 2009: a Zulu dancer gives his new TOMS the ultimate test.

Photo credit: Marc Falkenstien

6. New Orleans, April 2009: Ana Maria, who coordinates Shoe Drops for TOMS, shares a big smile with a student in New Orleans.

Photo credit: Cambria Harkey Photography

5. New Orleans, April 2009: New Orleans students jump high with their custom TOMS.

Photo credit: Cambria Harkey Photography

4. South Africa, October 2009: The proper way to conclude a Shoe Drop? PLAY!

3. New Orleans, August 2009: A TOMS intern makes new friends in NOLA.

Photo credit: Allie Dominguez

2. Ethiopia, October 2009: Whether you’re in the States or all the way in Africa, one thing remains: kids are silly!

Photo credit: Kwaku Alston

1. Beautiful girls in South Africa pose and show us how proud they are of their new TOMS in October 2009.

Photo credit: Marc Falkenstien

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The majority of our volunteer Shoe Drops have taken place there and I was fortunate to have been a part of one in March, 2008 with an amazing group of people. I called them our Guinea Pigs because it was the first Shoe Drop we had ever coordinated just for our TOMS supporters! Fortunately they were adventurous enough to take that title with pride and go with the flow of the week. We gave shoes to children that Blake and his friends and family had visited in 2006 and made some new friends who received their first pair of TOMS from us.

I remember learning at our first drop location in Misiones that the kids had cleaned up, combed their hair, and wore their best clothing that day – they had been expecting us for weeks. The school director boasted that she had never seen her students so primped and excited for visitors before. At that moment I realized that there really was more to the children (their lives outside of school and their aspirations) than met the eyes. We could see that they were barefoot and that others had shoes that were tattered and beyond repair but we might have never known that they were wearing their BEST clothing, even if they had holes and stains on them. Our visit was special not only to us, but to them.

I could go on for days about the children we met but I’m going to highlight messages we received last week from two Shoe-Droppers in Argentina: one lucky TOMS sweepstakes winner and one TOMS employee. This is why we choose shoes …

Hello,
My name is Lindsey and I am the sweepstakes winner with the group in Argentina…
I am a teacher and I thought I had experienced a lot as far as kids in need. But, no. This trip to Argentina has been humbling (ask Anya who had to comfort me our second drop because I got so emotional). I can´t tell you what a difference TOMS is making in the lives of these children. To put shoes on a child whose feet are torn, dirty and swollen because they walk barefoot is the most amazing experience. To see kids wear closed toed shoes for the first time is almost more than I can describe.
Thank you, thank you, thank you TOMS for allowing me this experience. I am so ready to spread the One for One message when I return home. To see first hand the meaning of this motto is such a gift!
I can´t wait for you to see our pictures. They speak volumes.
Lindsey K.

Hey!
Today we gave shoes in the rain despite getting a flat tire a few miles away from the second village! While we all huddled under the awning, most of the kids played joyfully in the storm with Melissa, kicking their soccer ball…. After we made sure everyone had shoes, we danced, high-fived, and gave thumbs up to Tec and his camera. The kids loved seeing the photos of themselves. They were so giggly and energetic. I miss them already. I’m so glad well continue to give shoes to these villages. For many today, it was their first pair. xo katie

To many more moments like this.

All my best,

Ana Maria
Friends of TOMS Program Manager

Read more about TOMS giving programs in Ethiopia.

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Polo seemed so intense. I remember talking to a player at my first match and him saying, “When you’re riding nothing else matters, because the second you take your mind off the horse, you’re likely to find your butt smack against the ground.” For someone like me whose mind is always racing, this seemed like zen. So that night I Googled “polo lessons, Los Angeles” and found a couple of local clubs with beginner classes, and within a week, I was sitting atop a giant (albeit half asleep) polo pony, attempting to learn the difference between Western and English saddle. Learning polo is tough. When I first started, there was no sign of a mallet or ball, just a painful, and somewhat intimidating lesson in English riding. Now, I’m someone that likes learning things fast, so it quickly became clear that just going to lessons on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings wasn’t going to cut it. While I was improving, I was no where near good enough to play in a game (or chukka, as it’s called) and I was growing tired of watching from the sidelines.

When I asked my instructor about speeding up my progress, he said that the quickest way to learn is through total immersion, and the best place to do it is in Argentina. In Argentina, polo doesn’t have the pretense and expense that it does in the US. Growing up around horses, many farmers become skilled riders and take to playing polo as a hobby. On the weekends, you can join pick-up games – just like basketball is played on the courts of Venice Beach. Filled with a sudden rush of excitement, I once again found myself on Google, but this time typing in “polo camp, Argentina, low cost”… and a month later, I was on an overnight flight to Buenos Aires anxious to begin an intense, four-week training camp. It was in BA that I met the charismatic, slightly egocentric, and completely lovable Alejo Nitti.

In addition to being a professional polo player, Alejo also told me that he was “pretty much an expert” in everything I could possibly want to do in Argentina. When I told him that I live on a sailboat and love playing golf, Alejo announced that he taught himself how to sail (winning a race, of course) and that his golf swing is nearly flawless

Rather than writing out the whole story here, I will leave you with just a few of the basic facts. It is because of this trip that:
1. I encountered children with no shoes and came up with the idea for
TOMS and the One for One model.
2. Alejo became one of my best friends in the world and my original
business partner in TOMS.
3. The alpargata, a farmers’ shoe commonly worn by polo players,
became the inspiration for TOMS design.
4. While my polo skills improved somewhat, I left Argentina with a
vision that would change my life forever, and one that I hope will
inspire others too.

A few weekends ago, I had the pleasure of returning to Buenos Aires, my
home away from home, to serve as the official witness in Alejo’s
wedding. Given everything that’s happened the past few years – and the
unexpected catalyst for it all – it only seemed fitting that I get
back on the saddle and attempt to hit some balls around. Were it not
for polo, none of this would have been possible…

Congrats on the big day, Alejo. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world

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The opening night started the weekend off with a bang. We screen printed custom Shoe Drop t-shirts with maps of Shoe Drop locations, parachutes, and more. It was a HUGE success,  and everyone took home their own custom shirt. My personal favorite will always be the TOMS shoes parachutes. I’d decorate all over with those little parachutes!

Blake also gave a very inspiring speech to the group and past Shoe Dropper Olivia made the cutest cake  imaginable.

The Shoe Drop staff from Argentina even flew up from Buenos Aires to join us. We couldn’t be happier to see Alejo, Pablo and Pepe around HQ, especially since this is Pepe’s first time in the United States!

It was wonderful to share TOMS headquarters and Santa Monica with all of our extended Shoe Drop Family in such a fun way. Sharing memories, stories and new ideas is such a refreshing experience. Someone mentioned how we all share a great common bond… and they were certainly right.

Thanks so much to everyone who made the trip, can’t wait for next time! Don’t stay away too long guys!

-Kelli

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“There was a big storm that last night, we enjoyed an amazing lightening show like only the southern hemisphere could perform. It was amazing.

Another photo from the Shoe Drop yesterday here. We’ve had to wait today because of the storms… The red clay roads and rain make it difficult to get around… Hence the need for zapatos!”

Giving shoes

Students writing Thank You notes

A student with his new TOMS shoes!

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Golf has always held a very special place in my life. At the age of 12, my dad taught me the game, and some of the greatest days of my childhood were spent battling my brother Tyler and my Dad for dollar skins as the sun would set. Being golfers, I don’t have to tell you about the smell of freshly cut grass and the sense of possibility standing on that first tee. Celebrating good bounces, accepting bad ones, believing in the club you have chosen and committing to the shot are lessons golf has taught me that transcend all aspects of my life and business. And the greatest part… the 4 hours away from reality we experience after that first tee shot. I have always made it a priority to get away to a place where I can relax and have time to think. For much of my life, golf has provided that opportunity. In 2006, that same quest took me to Argentina where, for the first time, I was introduced to often overlooked inequities that lead to the idea for TOMS Shoes.

My hope is this is just the beginning. I envision a future where our One for One model is expanded through partnerships with other great companies and opportunities which allow TOMS to truly create a better tomorrow for our customers and the children we serve. Our debut on the Masters telecast will prove to be a landmark moment for our One for One movement and, without a doubt, a memory everyone at TOMS will cherish forever. Thank you ATT!

I want to dedicate this special weekend to those people with whom I have shared precious memories on the links over the years. To my mentors Carl Westcott and Jack Crosby, two men sharing an incredible love for golf and entrepreneurship. And to my longtime golfing buddies Joseph Robertson, Steven Patak, Jimmy Leach, Art Ryan and Andrew Palmer. To my mother Pam and sister Paige, who come along just enough to remind us it’s only a game. Finally, and most importantly, to my father Mike and brother Tyler, who are the greatest golfing partners a man could ask for. Each ball struck, bet won or lost and 20 foot putt made is a blessing we all share.

Watch the TOMS AT&T commercial at www.TOMSshoes.com!

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March 7 – 14, 2009
March 28 – April 4, 2009
April 18 – 25, 2009
May 9 – 16, 2009
June 6 – 13, 2009
July 4 – 11, 2009
August 8 – 15, 2009
September 5 – 12, 2009
October 3 – 10, 2009
November 7 – 14, 2009
December 5 – 12, 2009

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me and 27 inch rainbow from Baker river

me and my girlfriend Maggie at Iguazu

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In Misiones, Argentina with Maggie, Alejo, co-workers, and friends. January 2009.

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