Esther Faith |

Seeing as I am such a fan of Toms shoes, I was ecstatic to hear that our very own local surf shop Outer Banks Boarding Company would be teaming up with Toms Shoes for their annual “One Day Without Shoes” event, and host a barefoot walk down to the beach.

If you are not familiar with Toms Shoes, they are an incredible company which promises

that for every pair of their shoes you purchase, one pair is donated to a child in need. One for One. The concept was started when the founder of Toms visited Argentina and noticed the kids had no shoes to protect their feet from injuries and related diseases from the soil.

Personally I felt this was an amazing idea, and like all new ideas-they need an army of supporters to really make a difference. With that in mind I decided to promote the event through all of our social media outlets and within Seaside Vacations. We decided to encourage everyone in the office to participate and spend the day barefoot. We also wanted to get some people out to the event here locally and take the walk out to the beach. It turned out to be a great event with local OBX musician Esther Faith performing and a crowd of supporters ready for the chilly walk, it was a blast!

No Shoes

When I graduated from college and realized I needed to head off into the “real world,” I distinctly recall telling myself that if I could find a job that would allow me to wear sandals on a daily basis, then I would be a happy cog in the real world wheel. I now live at the beach where sandals are pretty much a requirement for the majority of the year.

I guess sandals can be a pretty motivating force.

But now that I’ve accomplished that life goal, it’s time to set my sights on a new prize…no shoes! If sandals give that laid-back vibe, than no shoes must give the “I’m swinging in my hammock taking a nap” vibe. There’s a strong goal if I’ve ever heard one.

So, any reason to go sans shoes, count me in! Luckily, Outer Banks Boarding Company and Tom’s Shoes are giving me a reason to chase me shoeless dreams.

On April 5th, Outer Banks Boarding Company (OBBC) goes without shoes so kids won’t have to. Will you?

Tom’s Shoes, and OBBC are hosting “One Day Without Shoes” on Tuesday April 5th from 4 to 6:30 PM at OBBC in Nags Head, including a shoeless walk to the beach and back. Purchase a Pair of Tom’s Shoes and get a local artist to customize your shoes for just $5.00!!

There will be free refreshments, food, and live music by an amazing local OBX singer/songwriter, Esther Faith.

Esther is well worth the trip on her own. I don’t want to pigeon-hole her, but she has this great surfer/alt-country vibe; almost like Taylor Swift riding a wave. The perfect Outer Banks vibe.