DEAR TIMBERLAND, THANK YOU.

People don’t put on boots to be idle. At least not Timberland people. Timberland people pull on their boots to make a difference in the world. And we love hearing stories about the great things they’ve done.  Recently, one of our fans sent us this letter, exclaiming his gratitude and telling us about the incredible journey his boots took him on. From helping adolescents in Chicago Public Schools to hiking through Ecuador and beyond – his boots kept him warm, dry and gave him the courage to carry on. Well, all we have to say is thank YOU, Jonathan. We are grateful for you, and your passion to give back. You inspire us to keep making boots, and keep making a difference.

Dear Timberland,

Thank you.

Thank you for the 4 memorable years you protected my feet. Thank you for the 1,200 miles I walked with my toes nestled in your premium leather boots.

My Timberlands are deeply connected with my passion for community development and service. I first started wearing your original yellow boots in 2013 when I was volunteering with City Year in Chicago. They were given to me as part of my daily uniform but they became a part of my life.

I wore your boots when I met with 15 adolescents in a Chicago Public School and supported them in attendance, behavior, and course-performance initiatives.

When I moved to Ecuador to volunteer with the Peace Corps in 2015, your boots were my footwear of choice. Back home, friends would tease me because my Timberlands were the only shoes they would see me in. During my two years in Ecuador, my host family also knew me for my attachment with the boots.

They kept my feet warm when I climbed volcanoes up to 15,000 feet.

They kept my feet dry when I hiked through the subtropical cloud forest.

They offered me stability when I helped my rural, indigenous host family carry heavy, 20-liter aluminum containers to the cow milk distribution center in the morning and afternoon.

Your boots were on my feet when I taught over 80 local youth in my small community, San Pablito de Agualongo, how to play Ultimate frisbee.

They were on my feet when I painted a world map mural with my 12-member youth group in our local community center.

They were on my feet when I carried over 1,000 books from across Ecuador back to San Pablito to build a communal library for the 550 residents I lived with.

While I was home for winter break this past December, my friends teamed up to raise money and bought me a new pair of Timberland boots as an early Christmas gift.

Now, with my new pair of Timberland boots: who knows how far they will take me? I am incredibly grateful for the miles I have walked, for the destinations and goals I have reached (both domestic and abroad), and -- most importantly -- for the lives I have impacted. I will forever associate my service experiences with your boots.

Cheers to lifelong memories and to another pair of premium leather boots that will carry me forward.

 

Sincerely,

Jonathan VanTreeck