How to order

Buyers must order their TOMS through the Carthage group to get the discounted rate. For more information or to order, visit the Facebook page, send an email message to styleyoursole@carthage.edu, or call Erika Share at (636) 675-0181 or Stephanie Cain at (303) 525-1758.

Here's an example of a decorated TOMS shoe. Students who buy a pair through Carthage College can participate in a Style Your Sole event Feb. 29 at the Niemann Media Theatre.

A Carthage graphic design class needs more shoe buyers to meet its goal of providing 50 pairs to needy children around the world.

The deadline to order a pair of TOMS through the Graphics Design Senior Seminar is Wednesday, Feb. 1. Those who buy a discounted $40 pair of the trendy canvas shoes can decorate them during a free Leap Day event.

For every pair it sells to customers, TOMS Shoes provides another pair of shoes to a child in one of more than 20 countries. That approach has driven students on many college campuses to form clubs and support the company's efforts.

Prof. Laura Huaracha, who teaches in the Communication and Digital Media Department, challenged six Carthage seniors to brainstorm projects that would benefit society. The idea of holding a Style Your Sole event particularly piqued their interest.

"I couldn't get them to stop talking about it in class sometimes," Prof. Huaracha joked.

Erika Share, '12, a graphic design and communication major from St. Louis, said the classmates gravitated toward a product they and their friends know.

"They're mission-based," Erika said of TOMS Shoes. "They built their company on an idea to help people, and we thought that'd be really cool to raise awareness."

The graphic designers produced mailers, posters, press releases and other materials promoting the shoe-decorating event from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29, at the Niemann Media Theatre. There, TOMS buyers can adorn their new shoes with stencils, paints, fabrics, glitter and other artistic touches.

The Carthage chapter of Kappa Pi art fraternity will be on hand to help the art-impaired decorate their shoes. The event will also feature live music, free food, raffles and a documentary by TOMS Shoes. Those who bring their own shoes or who want to skip the decorations can make donations, which will be used to purchase shoes for needy kids in the Kenosha/Racine area.

Once attendees arrive at the theater, they're asked to go shoeless. Erika said the class hopes that will convey the importance of footwear in a person's life.

Although the event demanded more elaborate planning than expected, Prof. Huaracha said that has sharpened the students' problem-solving skills — which they'll need when working on graphic design projects in their careers.

Buyers must order their TOMS through the Carthage group to get the discounted rate. For more information or to order, visit the Facebook page, send an email message to styleyoursole@carthage.edu, or call Erika at (636) 675-0181 or Stephanie Cain at (303) 525-1758.