Fulfilling the fraternity’s mission of giving has come natural for Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.’s Mandel Williams.
For the last four years, Williams has organized a shoe drive –– Que’s got Sole: Marching Shoes to 3rd World Countries –– for disadvantaged children.
The
initiative, part of the Share Your Soles Foundation, Inc., founded by Mona
Purdy, started at a tailgate party at the annual Chicago Football Classic.
About 2,000 gently worn shoes were collected and recently shipped.
“It
originated between conversation with myself and my fraternity brother Darrel
Ward from Xi Epsilon at Bradley University. A conversation with Omega Oil
turned it into this extravagant party with a purpose,” Williams told the Defender.
Ward said
the collection ended up being more than they imagined.
“It
started off as just coming to the football game, enjoying the classic, (but) I
saw the potential of it (being something) a lot bigger,” he said.
Copyright
2011 Chicago Defender
