'Shoe' can help SUU Athletes earn First Big Sky Title

Published: February 01, 2013 | Read Time: 3 minutes

In just their first year as Big Sky Conference competitors, SUU’s student-athletes have had high hopes to start off on the right foot, literally in this instance, with the Big Sky’s annual two-week student service competition, the “Shoe Can Do It” reuse-a-shoe drive.

Beginning Friday, February 1 and running through Thursday, February 14, the SUU Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will join forces with Iron County schools, Lin’s, Wal-Mart, the SUU Student Association and AmeriCorp Vista to collect the most new and gently used shoes and win SUU’s first Big Sky championship.

All shoes collected in SUU’s name will then be donated to the Canyon Creek Crisis Center and the Utah Association of Family Support Centers.

In addition to shoes, the “Shoe Can Do It” drive will also accept non-perishable food donations, which will be given to the Iron County Care and Share.

Collection bins are on sight at Lin’s and Wal-Mart in Cedar City for the next two weeks. The SAAC has also challenged each of the participating local schools to have their own shoe competition between each other and classes. The winning class will be awarded a pizza party and the winning school will be given tickets to an athletic event.

SAAC President and T-Bird football player Mike Tagliaferri said, “This is our chance to show the community that we are more than just jocks. To show that we can get off the field and give back to the community who supports us.”

In addition to the open collection bins, shoes and food may also be dropped off at all T-Bird athletic events over the next two weeks. In return SUU Athletics will offer a discount on admission prices to all within that collection window: $2 off per pair of shoes and $1 off per food item, with a maximum $5 per ticket discount. Donations will be collected and discounts will be given through the Centrum Ticket Office.

Home athletic events during the “Shoe Can Do It” competition include:

Feb. 1 - Gymnastics vs. Utah State

Feb. 2 - Men’s Basketball vs. Northern Arizona

Feb. 7 - Women’s Basketball vs. Weber State

Feb. 8 - Gymnastics vs. Denver

Feb. 9 - Women’s Basketball vs. Idaho State

Feb. 14 - Women’s Basketball vs. Portland State

Additionally, former SUU track star and Olympic competitor Cam Levins will discuss his Olympic experience on Wednesday, February 6, at 7 p.m. in the Sharwan Smith Center Ballroom. During the event, Cam will raffle off his signed Olympic shoes. Attendees will receive one raffle ticket per pair of shoes donated.

Other campus events that include perks for shoe and food donation over the next two weeks include the February Bread & Soup Night on Monday, February 4, from 5–7 p.m. in the Ballroom, offering live entertainment and all you can eat bread and soup for just $2 and one pair of shoes or a non-perishable food item.

SAAC has also planned a student dance to follow the Women’s Basketball game on February 9. Admission to the dance is $2, or one pair of shoes or three food items. And there will be a campus Zumba Night on Monday, February 11, at 7 p.m. in the Starlight Room of the Sharwan Smith Student Center. Admission is $2, or a pair of shoes or two non-perishable food items.

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