by Giuliano Bellabono
Good guys, doing good things — that’s all Winnipeg’s Got Sole want to be known for.
Jerry Legaspi, Frendell Cano, and Johann Generao make up Winnipeg’s Got Sole, a non-profit charity that aims to connect Winnipeg’s sneaker community.
What was originally just an idea, soon stemmed into a real possibility once Cano reached out to Legaspi, and Generao to help him organize a sneaker event.
“I didn’t know if an event like this would sell in Winnipeg,” says Legaspi. “But, once we started planning, things just took off.”
In March of last year, Winnipeg’s Got Sole began to plan for the Winnipeg Sneaker Swap Expo, which took place in June. In just four months, the charity gathered Winnipeg’s sneaker community and successfully received over 500 pairs of lightly used shoes, and donated them to Siloam Mission, Basketball Manitoba, and Soles4Souls.
“When we began planning the event, we wanted to incorporate a way to give back to the community, not just a standard sneaker event,” says Legaspi. “We wanted to make sure that we would do our part to give back to the city, and inspire others to do the same.”
During last year’s expo, the charity’s goal was heard by a teenage boy who donated the shoes on his feet, and spent the remainder of his at the expo in his socks.
“I was touched,” says Legaspi. “It sent chills down my spine — later on during the expo, we tracked the kid down and gave him a brand new pair of shoes.”
The Winnipeg Sneaker Swap Expo 2 is on June 21, 2014, at Bronx Park Community Centre. Tickets are on sale for $10 at several local shops including Modern Baohouse, The Urban Bakery, and Red Ronin Tattoos and Apparel.
Winnipeg’s Got Sole asks that attendees bring any pairs of gently used shoes that they no longer use for donation. In return, those who donate shoes will be entered to win a door prize including a pair of Nike basketball shoes.
Winnipeg’s Got Sole also recognizes student athletes. Last year, the charity awarded Pajack Open Obeing from General Wolfe School with a pair of basketball shoes and a basketball. Winnipeg’s Got Sole aims to do the same this year, and reward another student who excels in academics and athletics.
“We want to pay it forward, and we want others to understand that giving back is easy,” says Generao. “We’re at a point in our lives that if somebody needs our help, we’ll do it.”
