NASHVILLE, TN, OCT. 28, 2008- Last Monday night on the national stage, NFL All-Pro Safety Chris Hope had the game of his dreams. After weeks of waiting for that first interception of the season, Chris doubled his dreams by having the first "two-interception" game of his career, facing off against Peyton Manning in the seventh Titans win of the season, a 31-21 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. * *
The next morning, instead of celebrating the team's 7-0 success, Chris was at Page High School in Franklin, Tennessee, to congratulate the students on their fundraising achievements for Soles4Souls™ Inc., the international charity dedicated to providing free footwear to those in desperate need. As a* *Soles4Souls Spokesperson, Chris attended their "Barefoot Day", a pep rally where the students assembled on the football field after leaving their "gently used" shoes on the field as a donation to the charity.
The excitement of Chris attending the pep rally was overwhelming as the students passed by him to donate their shoes. Once students were assembled on the bleachers, Chris took the microphone, asking how many of them had watched the game the night before. The stands erupted in cheers and high fives. Chris then talked about the Soles4Souls mission and reiterated that there are 300 million children in the world who have never owned a pair of shoes, while almost the same number of shoes are tossed into American landfills each year. Chris thanked the students for their support of the non-profit and praised them for taking their time to help the needy in our community. He ended his talk by asking the students to give their best "Go Titans" cheer on his count of three. The roar was deafening, earning the students a winning "Chris Hope" smile that rivaled the smile on his face following his Monday night interceptions.
The Soles4Souls "Barefoot Day"culminated a month-long series of events and programs hosted by DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America)*at Page High school to raise funds for and bring awareness to those in need. *The Soles4Souls program provides an innovative alternative to traditional fundraisers, so students are able to raise money for their school group while making a significant difference in the lives of others.
Chris Hope, in addition to donating his time and support to Soles4Souls, donates $100.00 for each tackle and he uses his weekly Monday night radio show on 106.7, The Fan, an ESPN affiliate, to promote the cause. He recently donated $8,000.00 to Soles4Souls for his success on the field for the 2007 season. The 2008 season already looks to be a good one for the charity and for the Titans.* *
ABOUT DECA at Page High School
DECA, an association of marketing students, is dedicated to helping students develop skills and competence for marketing careers, to build self-esteem, to experience leadership, and to practice community service. Page High DECA enjoys involving students in community service projects and has partnered with Soles4Souls, the shoe charity, to host this fundraising event and shoe drive. Monetary donations will be used to provide new shoes for the needy as well as providing funds for an additional charitable donation by DECA.
About Soles4SoulsNashville-based Soles4Souls™ facilitates the donations of both new and used shoes, which are used to aid the hurting worldwide. Since its inception, Soles4Souls has distributed more than 3.5 million pairs (or one pair every 23 seconds) to people in more than 61 countries, including Honduras, Romania, Thailand, and the Sudan. The charity has been featured on CNN Headline News, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, ABC News, FOX, CBS, and hundreds of regional outlets around North America. Soles4Souls is a 501(c)(3) recognized by the IRS; donating parties are eligible for tax advantages. Visit www.giveshoes.org <http://www.giveshoes.org> for more information.
