FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 25, 2012

CONTACT:

Katrina Galas, Warsaw Sports Marketing Center

541.790.1426

[email protected]

UO MBA STUDENTS TAKE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TOWARD GOAL OF COLLECTING 2,012 PAIRS OF RECYCLED ATHLETIC SHOES THIS SPRING

EUGENE, ORE. – Students at the University of Oregon are working to collect 2,012 pairs of athletic shoes by the end of the U.S.  Olympic Trials at Hayward Field this June as part of the “A Step In the Right Direction” initiative, led by MBA students at the Lundquist College of Business.  Having collected over 800 pairs to date, the initiative aims to collect athletic shoes of all types on campus and throughout the community in support of Nike Reuse-A-Shoe and Hope4Hoopers.

“Nike Reuse-A-Shoe and Hope4Hoopers are organizations that support the greater sports community in different ways and their support brings a sense of pride to the “A Step In the Right Direction” initiative,” said Mitzi Ing, one of the University of Oregon MBA student organizers.  “Athletic shoes that still have life will be donated to Hope4Hoopers, an organization providing shoes to children and adults in need, while the remaining shoes will be recycled through Nike Reuse-A-Shoe.”

In addition to collecting shoes across campus, collection bins were placed at Hayward Field for the Oregon Twilight meet and the PAC-12 track and field championships.  Collection bins will also be located at the upcoming Prefontaine Classic on Friday, June 1 - Saturday, June 2, 2012, and at the U.S. Olympic Trials taking place June 22 – July 1, 2012.  Both events will take place at Hayward Field.

The legacy “O” Shoe collection box, designed and created by University of Oregon student architect firm Simrell•Scott, is located at the Student Recreation Center, and the Eugene community is encouraged to drop off their shoes there until the end of June.  Alternatively, shoes can be brought to one of the upcoming Tracktown events at Hayward Field.  Other shoe collection bins are located at the Lillis Business Complex, the Casanova Center, the Matthew Knight Arena, and the John E. Jaqua Center for Student Athletes until June 1.

Several local supporters including Kenny Moore (former Olympian and one of the original Men of Oregon), Ellen Schmidt-Devlin (a former U of O track and field athlete, now Executive Producer of the documentary We Grew Wings) delivered shoes for the cause.  Many attendees of Tracktown Tuesday have also expressed support as well.

For additional information and updates on the “A Step In the Right Direction” initiative, please visit us on Facebook or Twitter at #ASRD and #reuseashoe.

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Nike Reuse-A-Shoe

Nike Reuse-A-Shoe is an integral part of Nike Sustainable Business and Innovation.  The unique recycling program turns worn-out athletic shoes of all brands into Nike Grind, a material used in sports, playground surfaces, carpet padding and promotional gift items.  Since its inception in 1990, Reuse-A-Shoe has recycled more than 25 million pairs of shoes.  The recycled shoes are given new life in sports and playground surfaces around the world.  For more information on Nike Grind and Nike Reuse-A-Shoe, visit: www.nikereuseashoe.com

Hope4Hoopers

Hope4Hoopers is compelled to leave a mark of change that improves children's lives every day by using resources virtually every household has.  They are creating high-level basketball camps for children all across the Portland area, and the cost to participate is only one pair of last year’s shoes. Excess shoes are collected over time and supplied to needs based organizations in the community and overseas.

www.hope4hoopers.com

Simrell•Scott

Partners in life and work, Blake Scott and Rachel Simrell collaborate on projects under their fledgling design partnership, Simrell•Scott. While they work towards becoming licensed architects, they are taking on small-scale design projects encompassing the material, conceptual, spatial, and virtual realms.  The official U of O shoe collection box was masterfully designed by Simrell•Scott and will serve as a legacy piece for this sport and sustainability initiative on campus for years to come.

http://www.simrellscott.com/partnership/stepintherightdirection/

A Step in the Right Direction (ASRD)

A collaborative interdisciplinary initiative driven by a group of MBA students from the University of Oregon, representing the Center for Sustainable Business Practices, Warsaw Sports Marketing Center, Department of Architecture, Net Impact and O Heroes.  In attempt to give new life to old tread, ASRD has set up shoe recycling bins around campus to collect athletic shoes of any type for the spring term.  Their presence is also integrated into all Track & Field meets at Hayward Field, starting with the Oregon Twilight meet, through the Pre Classic, and until the end of the upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials.

https://www.facebook.com/AStepintheRightDirection.UOAthleticShoeRecycling

Twitter Hashtags: #reuseashoe #ASRD | Facebook Community Page: 

https://www.facebook.com/AStepintheRightDirection.UOAthleticShoeRecycling

Lundquist School of Business, University of Oregon

1208 University of Oregon | Eugene, OR 97403