West Hartford Native Needs Your Vote to Win a Giving Trip

Christine Noonan, an English teacher at North Branford High School, is hoping to be one of the 50 winners among thousands of entrants in TOMS Ticket to Give 2013 contest. According to its website, TOMS will donate a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of shoes purchased. TOMS then goes on “Giving Trips” to distribute the shoes.

“I would love to win a spot on their Giving Trip and help them donate their shoes – please help my dream come true,” said Noonan, who grew up in West Hartford. “What drew me to this contest was not only that I love TOMS shoes and their giving philosophy, but because it has always been one of my dreams to go on a volunteer trip abroad, especially if the volunteer work involved helping children. It's like a calling that I've been waiting for the opportunity to answer!”

Noonan created the following entry for the contest:   

I am a high school teacher. I love my job and see it as more than just teaching students about literature. I teach them about life, compassion, and integrity. I would love to go on a TOMS Giving trip and touch the lives of the beautiful people who will receive shoes, and then teach my students the lessons I learn from those people, hopefully inspiring my students to GIVE something of themselves throughout their lives. It is my DREAM to go on a volunteer trip such as this, so please choose me as one of your Givers. Namaste.

You can vote online through April 12. Noonan is closing in on 100 votes so far, but is asking for everyone’s help as she says the frontrunners have close to 1,000.

“Please forward this information to friends and family as I can use all the votes I can get,” said Noonan, who also created a Facebook page to promote her entry. “I'm just so excited at the thought of helping a  community in need, and then being able to share my experience with my students and the entire North Branford community.”