Jun 12 2009
Kicks Are For Kids - Help Big Brothers and Big Sisters
Final Showdown Thursday, June 18th: TRAIL BLAZERS CAN STILL BEAT THE LAKERS!
Trail Blazer and Laker themed athletic shoes are just two shoes out of twenty that the community can vote on to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest -
Portland, ORE – June 12, 2009 – Bummed that the Portland Trail Blazers did not make it to the 2009 NBA Finals? Are you a die-hard Laker fan living in Portland? Or, do you ponder how the addition of balloons to the soles of your shoes will increase running speed?
Take out any pent-up aggression or simply funnel your love for fashionable athletic shoes to a good cause. Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest, in partnership with Nike Inc., announces Kicks are For Kids, a unique design competition for the agency’s Bigs and Littles.
In early June, Big Brothers and Big Sisters teamed up with their Littles and designed their own footwear. Twenty semi-finalists were selected by a panel of judges based on the shoe’s originality, creativity, uniqueness and expression.
“For over two weeks now, I have been the fortunate recipient of the most distinct and individual shoe designs; just receiving a new design everyday has been an amazing experience” states Roz Gorski, Co-Director of Community Relations. “In addition to the unique shoe designs, I’ve been impressed by the creative explanations offered by the Littles”.
Little Brother Zeldon designed ZHype, shoes complete with suction cups. Little Sister Jacqueline designed Girl Power, stating her creative direction as “I think girls should have a fun, colorful, shoe to play sports in and they should be comfortable too. I think the stitching and the shoe laces should be glittery”.
As a young Trail Blazer fan, Little Brother Emmanuel describes his red and black Blazer Mania shoe as “a Nike sign and Brandon Roy face and the material is leather and patterns. The little circles are on the shoe because I want it to be energetic”.
Designers of the top 5 shoe designs will be rewarded with a one-to-one footwear customization session with a NIKEiD Design Consultant, located at Nike World Headquarters. Once the design process is completed, the shoes will be custom manufactured and sent to the winners!
“Most importantly, this competition was a fun-filled activity for our Bigs to do with their Littles” states Ms. Gorski. Big Brothers and Big Sisters are the volunteer mentors that help children reach their full potential through one-to-one relationships that have a measurable impact. Littles, the agency’s Little Brothers and Little Sisters, are the children, age 6-16, that Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest serves within metropolitan Portland and Southwest Washington.
To vote for your favorite shoe design and help a Little become a Nike footwear “Designer for a Day”, simply visit bbbsnorthwest.org and click on the Kicks are For Kids graphic. The five designs that raise the most money win. But hurry, Bigs, Littles and the community only have until Thursday, June 18th at 5pm to raise money in favor of their shoe design.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest helps children reach their potential through one-to-one relationships that have a measurable impact. Volunteers spend a couple hours a week a few times a month with a child, watching movies, playing in the park, or just hanging out. This simple formula has been proven to work: According to a 1995 study by national research firm Public/Private Ventures, children matched with a Big for 18 months were 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 52% less likely to skip school, and 33% less likely to hit someone than children who were not matched with a Big. In 2008, Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest supported 2,910 children – and the adult mentors who serve them – making it the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters agency on the west coast and 9th largest nationwide. Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest serves children in both metropolitan Portland and Southwest Washington.
To help change the life of a child in your community, please donate online by visiting bbbsnorthwest.org.
