CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The founder of a Chicago non-profit that sends donated shoes to those in need around the world is doing a fundraiser this month that's a real challenge.
Mona Purdy is the founder of Share Your Soles, and she's behind the Swallow Cliff Stair Stepper Challenge, at Swallow Cliff, a 100-foot bluff in Palos Park.
"This is great to be out in the nature, it's forest preserve, it's good oxygen. I mean, it's fantastic," she said.
"It's the first time anyone has done anything like that here, so it's a maiden voyage, so to speak. We are doing it the whole month of September. You buy in, it's $35, you get your packet pick up at either Running For Kicks or at Fleet Feet Sports, and then you pick a time that you want to commit to doing so many sets of stairs. Up and down is one set. And then you collect pledges."
As WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser spoke with Purdy, people were making their way up the 168 stairs and back down.
"So it's a good challenge, and people can take their time. They can take all day to do a set. It doesn't matter. Just do something for yourself and do something that benefits somebody else," Purdy said. "That's kind of what our goal is here."
She's looking for people to commit to the challenge and twist the arms of others to make pledges for each round trip they can make.
"Then, the people that raise the most money and pledges, both Fleet Feet and Running For Kicks will give gift cards," Purdy said.
The Swallow Cliff Stair Stepper Challenge is going on all month. Participants choose their day and do it on their own.
Purdy started Share Your Soles in 1999. She was running a half-marathon in Guatemala and was the only one with shoes. She said kids were putting tar on their feet.
Since then, Purdy has donated about five million pairs of shoes.
