Tobique Valley Exceeds All Expectations!!

The students and faculty of Tobique Valley Middle School and High School have exceeded all expectations in their contribution for the Crocs for Orphan Tots Project. Spearheaded by two teachers Tara Legace and Karen Elliott, the 300 students have collected 411 pair of crocs in the past four weeks!!!

Tobique Valley Middle & High School Gym



A Rainbow of Crocs

After Mrs. Legace became aware of the Crocs For Orphan Tots Project she unleashed her imagination and her creativity and with great enthusiasm she told her students about the project. Karen Elliott, who teaches at the High School did the same and over a period of four weeks the students of TVMHS collected crocs with enthusiasm. And what a collection they made!!

Crocs Line The Bleachers in the Gym

Interest in their Congolese counterparts grew as the project gathered momentum. Dr. Wecker, Daniel and Melissa were invited to the school and the students had a plethora of questions about life in Congo and about the needs for shoes. Today, all the students of both the High School and the Middle School gathered in the gym as the Crocs that they had collected were presented to PROLASA Canada. They will be taken to Congo in December.

The students then loaded them all into two large boxes and one of their teachers helped transport them to the Tobique Valley Medical Centre where they will be stored until they are taken to Congo.

Students Loading Crocs into Boxes

Unloading the Truck

PROLASA Canada and Crocs For Orphan Tots want to sincerely thank everyone at Tobique Valley Middle and High School who was involved with the project. You exceeded all expectations! We will take these shoes to the Island of Idjwi in the Democratic Republic of Congo and we will distribute them to the children at the Patmos Children's Village and to students at some of the surrounding schools. We want you to know that you have made a HUGE difference in the live of many children. Thanks.

News About the Crocs For Orphan Tots Programme Hits the Carleton Country Free Press

The following article was printed in the Carleton County Free Press this week. Thank-you everyone at the Free Press for your support of this project.

Nina Brings in 42 Pair of Crocs

Nina McDougall of Plaster Rock, New Brunswick has really taken off with her Facebook group for Crocs For Orphan Tots. She has brought in 42 pair of Crocs and a cheque for $100 to help with getting the crocs to the tots in Congo. Way to go Nina!!! Your help is much appreciated.

Nina McDougall and the Crocs that she has collected!
Way to go Nina!!

200 Crocs!

Well I submitted a donation request fro 200 Crocs to SolesUnited a few months ago. They are a foundation that donates Crocs to people in need around the world.

I finally received the Crocs. 200 pairs arrived at my Brother's house in Massachusetts (my Dad flies out from Boston when traveling to Africa so we ship everything there to store until the next trip).

I submitted paperwork and then did an interview with SolesUnited in order to get the donation and I cannot wait to see pictures of when they arrive on the island. These shoes will be such a blessing to these children for years to come.

Thanks Crocs and SolesUnited.

Our Crocs Project on Facebook

Well this is how projects like this became an amazing success. Great people like Nina get involved and share their ideas and enthusiasm to get more individuals working on this. Yay!!!! I cannot say thanks enough to those of you willing to help.

Nina heard about the project from her 16 y/o daughter who attended an assembly where my Dad and my sister did a presentation about the Crocs for Orphan Tots project. She then started a Facebook group for this project. Such a great idea. I just joined the group and I hope you will too. So here is the link to join.

Keep up the good work Nina.

Plaster Rock on Board!

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I just got off the phone with my Dad ( Dr. Barry). He just finished a school assembly meeting at the middle school in town. He said there were 200 or more children there and they were all excited about the project. They got to ask questions about the children in Africa and about the project. In the past 7 days they have collected over 70 crocs and that is just the beginning. This is so exciting. It is one of those things that keeps on surprising me the enthusiasm that this project is met with. Having shoes is one of those simple things we take for granted here in the western world and yet for many it is a struggle to find food much less shoes. These children in the D. R. Congo will be so blessed with a pair of crocs.

Tobique Valley High School in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick

Tunga penetrans Infection

On our blog entry of 2008 April 23, we showed photos of a skin disorder which is caused by not wearing shoes. We have now correctly identified this disease. It is an infection of sand fleas called Tunga penetrans which affects the feet of those who do not wear shoes. The female flea burrows under the skin and forms a small, pea-sized cyst. When it gets mature, it causes some irritation of the skin. The french word for it is "chique".

Plaster Rock Pharmasave Helps Out

Yesterday I received a call from Norris McMillan at the Plaster Rock Pharmasave to say that they had 45 pair of "Daws" which are Croc-like shoes, that they were going to donate to Crocs For Orphan Tots! Today we headed down to the store and picked them up. What a great help for the children on the Island of Idjwi in the Democratic Republic of Congo!!! Thanks Norris and a big thanks to all of your staff as well.

Plaster Rock Pharmasave
Plaster Rock, New Brunswick

A Shout Out to Plaster Rock Schools

Plaster Rock, New Brunswick is my hometown in Canada. My parents moved there when I was 13. I have just heard that the high school and middle school in Plaster Rock have started helping with this project. Yay!!! and thanks so much!

If you are from Plaster Rock area and are viewing this blog feel free to leave a comment on this post. It is so nice to hear you all are helping. These children in the Congo will be so blessed by something as simple as a pair of shoes.