Canadian distance runner and Olympian Julie-Anne Staehli is famend for her success within the 5,000m, however she has additionally made a profound influence by way of a challenge that’s near her coronary heart.
The ReRun Shoe Venture originated in 2016 throughout an area street race in Kingston, Ont., when Staehli and her buddy, Kurtis Marlow, realized the variety of footwear they accumulate every year. This gave her the concept of repurposing footwear to allow others of their bodily exercise. Staehli explains, “The challenge began with a private donation to an area youth sports activities group, which sparked the concept of repurposing footwear to make a distinction in the neighborhood. With no native group devoted to donating flippantly used footwear frequently, we took the initiative to create The ReRun Shoe Venture.”
The first goal of ReRun is to gather flippantly used trainers which might be not appropriate for working however that might be worn by these with out entry to costly gear. By lowering the variety of unused footwear and donating them to native organizations, ReRun goals to offer footwear with one other goal and improve the lives of others.
“Many of the recipients of footwear are elementary faculty and school college students, however we now have additionally constructed a community with organizations like Huge Brothers and Huge Sisters to make sure the footwear attain those that want them essentially the most,” says Staehli.
Having grown up within the small city of Lucknow, Ont., Staehli feels personally related to this initiative; she obtained her first pair of spikes by way of a donation. “Making bodily exercise extra accessible and witnessing the influence, no matter who receives these donations, is actually significant,” she says.
Staehli takes satisfaction within the challenge’s meticulous choice course of, accepting flippantly used footwear with good soles which might be nonetheless appropriate for strolling or different actions. Its mission is to make sure the footwear discover their manner into deserving palms.
A poignant second for Staehli and Marlow that bolstered their dedication to the trigger occurred at a girls’s shelter in Kingston. Staehli remembers, “We donated a whole lot of footwear, primarily grownup sizes, and all of the footwear disappeared throughout the hour. This highlights the immense want for footwear in our group.”
So far, ReRun has collected greater than 5,500 pairs of footwear. The challenge has expanded to gather donations in three shops in Kingston, two shops in London and a number of places in Edmonton and Calgary. ReRun serves as a exceptional instance of how a easy concept and a dedication to giving again can create a long-lasting influence on communities.
By offering footwear with a brand new lease on life, ReRun is taking strides to make bodily exercise extra accessible—one step at a time.
