Space Centre Storage Lends MI-BOX® Mobile Storage Units to Shoe Charity
Kelowna, BC (PRWEB) October 01, 2015 -- Space Centre Storage is putting its best foot forward for a charitable cause. The Kelowna storage facility is partnering with Soles4Souls, an organization that collects new and used shoes and redistributes them to needy people in developing nations. Using their MI-BOX® mobile storage units, Space Centre will act as a central collecting point for donations in BC.
Bob Laird, General Manager of Space Centre Storage, is thrilled to be a part of the program.
“We just want to help people. We want to become really involved here,” says Laird, noting it’s going to take a team effort to make it work. “We’re new to this. We’re going to have to all become involved.
“It’s an ongoing endeavor. We’ll support the program as it goes.”
Space Centre Storage is donating the use of four of its MI-BOX mobile storage units to the cause. These portable storage containers, which measure seven-foot-two-inches wide, eight feet tall and 16 feet long, will provide storage space for any donations that come their way.
Once the MI-BOX® containers are full, they’ll be shipped to a national collection centre in Toronto in a 53-foot container that holds approximately 30,000 shoes. There, the footwear will be sorted and sent to people all over the world.
Founded in Nashville, Tenn. in 2006, Soles4Souls has distributed more than 22 million pairs of shoes to people in need in more than 127 countries.
All of the staff at Space Centre Storage welcomes anyone to come by the office (3530 Alcan Road) to make a donation during business hours (8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m on Sundays and holidays). They have one of the mobile storage units set up right at the front office.
“It could be used, new, high heels, soccer boots—any kind of footwear,” says Laird. “That’s one of the reasons they have a sorting centre. There’s no sense in sending snow boots to Africa.”
Laird credits Kelowna’s Lesley Brydon, a well-meaning shoe aficionado, for getting the Space Centre Storage involved in the Soles4Souls program. Brydon, whose family has been donating its excess footwear to the charity for the past several years, approached Laird with the idea of donating space.
“She was looking for storage space,” says Laird. “We were prepared to do more than that. Not only are we going to take drop-offs from Kelowna, we might get truckloads from anywhere in BC.”
Brydon, a paralegal, originally intended to use her property as the collection point, however, she quickly realized it would be insufficient given the scale of the program. She’s extremely grateful that Space Centre Storage stepped up.
“They (Soles4Souls) needed someone to spearhead the collection, and I knew I could do this,” says Brydon. “Now we’re on this journey together. We both feel we have a need to give back to third-world countries.”
A self-confessed shoe admirer, Brydon says her new role as a Soles4Souls shoe ambassador is only fitting. She believes it’ll suit other people as well because it’s such a simple way to support a charitable organization.
“It’s an easy way to give back,” she says. “I am comfortable in this role as I am not asking people for money. Everyone has old shoes they can get rid of.”
Brydon has set up a Facebook page for Soles4Souls–Kelowna, and she plans on approaching local schools to see if they’ll organize shoe collections. If anyone has a donation, or wishes to host a donation box at their business or school, please contact Brydon by calling 604-612-1649.
She has also organized for a MI-BOX to be on hand at Ghoulish Gala, a Halloween fundraising event for Swinging with the Stars in support of the Central Okanagan Hospice Association. It’ll be held on Friday, Oct. 30 at the Okanagan Mission Community Hall (aka The Red Barn). Shoe donations will be accepted between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. on that day. To purchase tickets for the gala, please contact Brydon.
About Space Centre Storage
Space Centre Storage in Kelowna has been providing Okanagan storage solutions since 1985. Residential storage services include self storage in a variety of units, the MI-BOX® portable storage containers, moving supplies, mailboxes and indoor and outdoor RV & boat storage. Space Centre Storage also offers commercial lease space, mini-warehousing, and forklift and load docks for business customers.
For more information, please contact:
Bob Laird
General Manager
Space Centre Self Storage
bob[at]spacecentrestorage[dot]com
250-765-4125
http://www.spacecentrestorage.com
Bob Laird, Space Centre Storage, http://www.spacecentrestorage.com, +1 (250) 765-4125, [email protected]
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