GREEN BAY — It was the hope of the band Hanson that a chilly one-mile barefoot stroll around downtown Green Bay would have fans walking away with more than just cold feet.

As part of Hanson's "The Walk" tour, willing participants were asked to join the band in a short jaunt sans shoes down Washington Street to make a statement about poverty in Africa — and the thousands who cannot afford a basic necessity like footwear.

Braving Wisconsin's cold weather, middle-child Taylor Hanson said the conditions may deter them a bit, but it's the importance of the cause that keeps them going.

"We've went from literally people's feet being blistered because it was so hot … to snow in Canada," the 25-year-old said. "One way or another we try to push on. We want to encourage people to kind of push past the little hurdles that might be in front of them."

That hurdle Sunday was 40-degree weather with 15 mph winds. Not bad when compared to Hanson's stop in Madison, with rain and snow, the day before.

So far, the band has racked up 52 miles throughout its tour — including the recent mile in Green Bay — but for them, this could be just the beginning.

"To be honest, we could be walking for 20 years," Hanson said. "The hope is to remind people that their mile that they go out and do will be part of a bigger goal."

http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080414/OSH/304140033/1128/OSHnews

As part of Hanson's "The Walk" tour, willing participants were asked to join the band in a short jaunt sans shoes down Washington Street to make a statement about poverty in Africa — and the thousands who cannot afford a basic necessity like footwear.

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080414/APC0101/804140487/1979/APCopinion