It was a story that stuck with Alison Jackson.
Competing for Canada at the world university cross-country championships in Uganda back in March, other competitors approached the Trinity Western Spartans long distance runner to see if she happened to have any spare spikes she had brought along that she wouldn鈥檛 mind leaving behind.
Some of her competitors were even running barefoot.
That鈥檚 why when she heard about 91原创 teenager 鈥� who will be a teammate of Jackson鈥檚 next year on the Spartans track and field team 鈥� and her Step in Someone Else鈥檚 Shoes program, she knew it was a perfect fit.
Beaton鈥檚 program, which the 18-year-old began a few years ago, collects shoes for inner city children. In three years, she has redistributed about 450 pairs of shoes.
Beaton was the 2014 recipient of the Pete Swensson Outstanding Community Youth Award from the Township of 91原创.
鈥淗earing about Hannah鈥檚 (shoe) collecting to help others is such a remarkable thing,鈥� Jackson said.
It prompted her to contact Beaton and the pair are now teaming up to collect running shoes that will be taken to Ethiopia this August.
Jackson is organizing the missions trip through Trinity Western University, which is expected to feature about 10 Spartan long distance runners.
鈥淭here is a need for shoes (there). This will be really well received,鈥� Jackson said.
The group is going on a missions trip to help at HOPEthiopia, an orphanage in Ethiopia.
As well as delivering the shoes to local runners in the area, the student-athletes will also help out at the orphanage during their trip.
The runners also hope to run with some of the local clubs, as Ethiopia has long produced some of the world鈥檚 top long-distance runners.
The orphanage is located about an hour outside of Ethiopia鈥檚 capital city, Addis Ababa, and the route to the city is a popular one, Jackson said.
Beaton is thrilled her program is opening up.
鈥淚 would love to see my shoe program grow into donating shoes to humanitarian aid and missions trips in order to bring shoes to those in need across the world,鈥� she said, adding it is also important not to lose sight of the vision for helping those in the community.
As part of the annual , which takes place on May 4, Beaton will be on hand to collect shoes, both to send to Ethiopia and for the Step in Someone Else鈥檚 Shoes program.
The 52nd annual 91原创 Walk returns to Fort 91原创 on Sunday, May 4. It begins at 1:30 p.m. at the National Historic Site, with activities starting at 12 p.m. People of all ages can walk, run, or bike five- or 10-km routes.
Beaton can be reached at hannahbb@telus.net and Jackson at triactionjackson@gmail.com.
