U.S. students collect shoes to illustrate Darfur 'genocide'

You couldn't make this stuff up if you tried.

From wtop.com March 23, 2009
Students collect shoes to illustrate genocide

Photo: The shoes will be donated to people in homeless shelters.

ASHBURN, Va. - In an effort to raise awareness about the number of people killed in Darfur, students at Briar Woods High School are collecting shoes -- 400,000 pairs of them.

The plan is to put the shoes on display on the National Mall April 26.

"Our hope is that the image will be hard to ignore. Our hope is the impact will last in people's minds and in their hearts," says a Web site set up to promote the Shoes on the Mall effort.

After they're displayed, the shoes will be donated to homeless shelters.

The students are getting donations from as far away as New Zealand.

The school is getting help from dozens of elementary schools, high schools, retirement centers and universities, including Virginia Tech and the College of William & Mary.

Of course, they're looking for more. Here's where you can send your donations:

Briar Woods High School
c/o Logan Williams
22525 Belmont Ridge
Ashburn, Virginia 20148
If you want more information about the project, contact Logan Williams at logan.williams@loudoun.k12.va.us.

See Sudan Watch March 23, 2009: Save Darfur movement spends its annual budget of $15 million not on assisting victims but on spreading the message