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IUPUI's Hunter will coach barefoot to raise awareness for shoeless children in Africa,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]
His goal is to send 40,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych],000 pairs of shoes to Africa honoring the 40th anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"If a five- or six-year-old kid can walk around their entire life with no shoes on, then surely,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], inside a warm climate,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], inside a basketball environment, I'm able to get it done,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]," he explained. charitable organization called Samaritan's Feet, which was founded four years ago by Emmanuel "Manny" Ohonme.
A local of Nigeria,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych],[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Ohonme received his first footwear in the age of 9 from an American missionary. He eventually earned a scholarship to play basketball at Lake Region State College in North Dakota.
Samaritan's Feet really wants to send Tens of millions of pairs of shoes to children all over the world in Ten years,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych],[link widoczny dla zalogowanych].
Hunter said he learned about Samaritan's Feet after a mutual friend gave his number to Ohonme. Samaritan's Feet came up with the idea for Hunter to go without shoes.
"They told me the idea,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], and at first I type of laughed,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], because I thought surely they were joking about that," he explained. "But they weren't."
Then, Hunter remembered a recruiting visit to Lagos,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych],[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Nigeria,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], 4 years ago, where he saw examples of extreme poverty. That,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], the call from Ohonme and prayer were enough to influence him to visit shoeless for any night.
Hunter told his team concerning the mission, also it moved freshman Christian Siakam, who is from Cameroon.
"He said a lot of college athletes, once they get their free footwear, they take those things as a given. There's so many kids,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], including people in his family, that do not have shoes. It's hitting home with him,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]," Hunter said.
"I knew i was doing what's right when I saw the appearance on his face,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]."
Those attending the overall game are also asked to visit barefoot, and Hunter said many IUPUI students said they would.
Hunter said he has accumulated more than 30,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych],000 pairs of shoes. Most of them happen to be shipped straight to New york, however the mission has turned his office into a warehouse.
"My office is stuffed with nothing but shoes right now," he explained.
The gathering includes a surprise donation he discovered after practice Tuesday,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych].
"There were 20 bags of new shoes sitting there with a observe that said 'Coach, hope this helps,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych],[link widoczny dla zalogowanych],"' Hunter said. "I do not know who brought those over."
Hunter intends to take the shoes to Africa in July,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]. He's not sure where he'll go - he'll leave that to Samaritan's Feet - but he'd like to visit Cameroon in honor of Siakam. He said many of his players wish to opt for him,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych],[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]. |
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