Want to walk a round of golf in Mike Weir’s grass-covered shoes? Ever wondered what it might be like to slip on a pair of Jessica Simpson’s heels and hit the town in style?
Former Masters champion Weir and pop singer Simpson are just two of several celebrities who are donating footwear to Habitat for Humanity’s latest local fundraising campaign, the Shoes and Champagne Gala Evening auction and sale scheduled for Oct. 6 at Tony and Adams.
Others pitching in include Thunder Bay’s own Jordan Staal, who has donated a pair of skates, Kim Kardashian and outgoing Gov.-Gen. Michaelle Jean.
"Our families have a story to tell, all the Habitat families," said the Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay CEO Diane Mitchell. "We want people to be able to walk a mile in their shoes and hear their story. When I thought about it, walking a mile in their shoes, I thought shoes are connected to Habitat. So we’re going to be auctioning off shoes to raise the money to build the homes for the families in need in Thunder Bay," Mitchell said.
Getting the shoes from some of Hollywood’s biggest names was surprisingly easy, she added, saying Habitat for Humanity strikes a chord with celebrities of all stripes.
In at least one case Mitchell herself had a hand in getting them, asking the governor general at an Ottawa event if she’d sign a pair of Manola Blahnik shoes for the Thunder Bay auction.
Weir’s shoes come with a certificate of authentication signed by the golfer himself.
"They still have grass on the bottom of the shoes," Mitchell said excitedly.
Tickets for the event are $40 and are on sale now and available at the Habitat for Humanity Restore, Firedog Communications and Performance Kia.
