Airmen collect shoes to fight poverty, hunger

Staff Sgt. Jason DeGrasse and Tech. Sgt. Nathan Cyr, 335th Training Squadron metrology instructors, prepare to deliver shoe donations to a local running and triathlon store to forward for the nonprofit Perpetual Prosperity Pumps Foundation campaign. With help from members of their own squadron as well as volunteers from the 336th TRS, 85th Engineering Installation Squadron and Keesler’s Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit, Cyr and DeGrasse collected 219 pairs of shoes, 38 pairs of boots and 25 pairs of sandals. (Courtesy photo by Theodore Rayon)

Airmen collect shoes to fight poverty, hunger

Published Nov. 30, 2011
By Susan Griggs
81st Training Wing Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- For most people, a pair of sneakers is simply a comfortable protective foot covering. But for some Keesler Airmen, used athletic shoes are a way to fight poverty, hunger and global warming in Africa.

Tech. Sgt. Nathan Cyr and Staff Sgt. Jason DeGrasse, 335th Training Squadron metrology instructors, partnered with a local running and triathlon store to collect gently-used footwear to benefit the nonprofit Perpetual Prosperity Pumps Foundation.

For every 600 pairs collected, the foundation is able to provide bicycle and solarpowered pumps to supply water and 12 months of farming training, seeds, trees, tools and livestock to support a needy family in Ghana.

With help from members of their own squadron as well as volunteers from the 336th TRS, 85th Engineering Installation Squadron and Keesler's Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit, Cyr and DeGrasse collected 219 pairs of shoes, 38 pairs of boots and 25 pairs of sandals.

The athletic shoes boosted the local store's collection over the 600-pair goal. Since only athletic shoes are collected for the PPPF project, the boots were donated to the Veterans Affairs Homeless Veterans Coordination Office and the sandals were given to Goodwill in Biloxi.