Students gathered at the PCSU after chapel Sept. 16 not just to hang out with friends, but also to support a needy cause.

Sponsored by the organization TOMS Shoes, students bought and decorated their own pair of shoes, each pair costing approximately $42.

Lee student Rob Entsminger said he doesn’t worry about the price of the shoes because of the worthy cause TOMS supports.

“When I buy a pair, it’s really like only spending $20 because I’m buying a pair for a child in need, too,” Entsminger said. “When I learned about the cause, it made the shoes look a lot cooler.”

According to the company Web site, for every pair purchased, TOMS gives a pair of shoes to needy children.

TOMS Shoes was founded by Blake Mycoskie in 2006; the slogan is “Shoes for Tomorrow.”

“Anyone I’ve talked to who is affiliated with or works for TOMS are real, decent, caring individuals who really believe in the TOMS cause. I wouldn’t have volunteered if I didn’t believe that TOMS’ goal was a genuine one,” said Carly Bishop-Chaney, a student hosting the event.

TOMS Shoes states that they offer an excellent way for people to get involved with giving: simply by purchasing a pair of shoes.

“Toms is…about promoting your creativity and designing your own,” said Becky Hartness, age 23. The company’s goal is to go to as many colleges, high schools and other organizations as possible and hold parties called, “Style your Shoe.”

Interns, referred to as TOMS vagabonds, like Hartness, host events like these all around the US. They tour on the road, selling shoes, supporting the cause, and sometimes also showing a documentary called, “For Tomorrow” explaining more about their organization.

“I found out about TOMS two years ago. I just really believed in the cause. TOMS is doing really great things,” Hartness says. “Even though they’re a profit making company, they’re giving back.”

To find out more about the organization or to purchase TOMS Shoes, visit the company’s Web site at www.tomsshoes.com.

• Staff writer Christy Armstrong contributed to this article.

• See pictures from the TOMS visit at Lee.