ENMU club seeking used shoes

Clarence Plank: PNT Staff Writer

The Students Health and Physical Education Club at Eastern New Mexico University is looking for used shoes.

The Used Shoe Drive collects worn shoes, which are sent to Nike for recycling. The shoe drive is going on until Friday.

Mary Drabbs, Health and Physical Education chairperson, said the concept originated at ENMU after she read an article in a magazine about a used shoe drive.

“I read that Nike would take back rubber-soled shoes, even if they were in horrible condition,” Drabbs said. “They take and grind them up to use for track surfaces and different kinds of playground surfaces.”

Drabbs said her students decided to collect any kind of shoes and the ones that are still usable are donated to local thrift stores.

The first shoe drive in spring 2008 by the Shape Club collected two large boxes they gave to the Dream Center.

“The really old shoes we boxed up and we sent them to Nike,” Drabbs said. “It is a service project for the Shape Club. It is a good way to do some good things to help the environment.”

Drabbs said she sent a small box to Nike for them to recycle.

Mathematical Sciences Professor Joan Brown said she donated some shoes when she saw the boxes last year.

“I’ve been talking to Drabbs about making it a year round thing so I could add it to my recycling list,” Brown said. “This year I brought two big bags full of shoes because I’ve been saving them up because I knew they would do it again.”

Brown said she thinks the used shoe drive is a good idea because she has three children who grow out of their shoes.

“It is nice that the Shape Club is going to go through the shoes and pull out the ones that worth reusing,” Brown said. “Then send the rest off to be recycled I appreciate that.”