The annual “One Day Without Shoes,” organized by the popular shoe brand, Toms, is back and will be taking place on Tuesday, April 16. The walk  is open to anyone who’s interested in joining this year. Once again, students from Ludlow High School will be participating in the event, according to senior Jessica Pashko, president of the Interact Club.

 One Day Without Shoes is an event where people from all over the country voluntarily decide to literally have a day without shoes and pledge to go barefoot to bring global awareness for children who are not able to have the basic necessities like shoes and suffer from long term effects without shoes.

According to www.onedaywithoutshoes.com,  stunted growth, decreased cognitive development, anemia and chronic fatigue are some effects that a child can face. Additionally, studies show that children affected by hookworm are 20% less likely to go to school and earn 40% less in adult life.

Shoes can impact an education in a huge way. If school uniforms along with shoes were provided to children this would increase school attendance by 62% which will lead rise of a child’s earnings by 10%.

“This event is important because it spreads awareness that there are kids who can’t walk to school because they don’t have shoes to wear and education is one of the most valuable things,” says Pashko.

Some groups will go barefoot for most of the day; however, Ludlow will be walking from one location in the town to another, barefoot of course.

“Unfortunately we will not be walking to the high school because the date falls during April break,” said Pashko.

The starting location last year was Dunkin Donuts, before school, and the members ended up at the high school. Pashko said that the Ludlow group might start at the same spot and but it’s not confirmed yet where they will finish.

She hopes that this event will encourage people to donate shoes for interact’s shoe drive coming up for people who could use them and cannot not afford any.