BYU’s student athletes made the cut for Sole Hope’s Honor Week service project Jan. 30, contributing to the creation of hundreds of new shoes for families in Uganda.
The Cougars hosted a shoe-cutting party to celebrate this year’s Honor Week at BYU, cutting hundreds of denim patterns for Sole Hope, a non-profit dedicated to creating shoes for families in Uganda.
Student-athletes from each team came to the Smith Fieldhouse Annex to help trace, cut, and organize thousands of denim patterns made from old jeans. These patterns are carefully prepared and sorted before being sent to Sole Hope’s team of Ugandan shoemakers, who will sew them together with rubber soles made from recycled tires.
Hailey Morrow, president of BYU’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), was excited to have made a difference in many children’s lives.
"As athletes we gained a deeper appreciation for global needs, and the importance of giving back,” she said. “It also reminded us that service goes beyond our playing fields—our actions can inspire and uplift communities across the world.”
Sam Dawe, offensive line on the BYU football team, said he was grateful for the chance to serve a community in Africa he’d never have the chance to visit in person. The service project represented an opportunity to serve and show kindness to people he’d never know.
“Being a part of the service was awesome to be able to see and work with so many student athletes take time out of their busy schedules to serve for an hour,” Dawe said. “It was a great turn out and a good time being there with so many amazing people for a just as amazing cause.”
“When all the athletes can serve together, it's a powerful experience,” Morrow said. “We can literally change lives.”