While most children take for granted a warm pair of socks in winter to help stave off the cold on winter days out-of-doors, others struggle for the lack of something as basic as a pair of socks.
When Georgian Bay Community School students Natalia Heinke, Karissa Bowins, Tristan Ploeg, and fellow members of the student council heard that the Beaver Valley Outreach collected socks for needy children last winter but fell short of collecting enough to fill the need in the area, they decided that this year’s school Christmas drive would be to collect enough socks to help BVO meet its goal. Their original goal was 140 pairs of socks.
“We put the word out over school announcements, with posters, and a special collection box at Bill’s Valu-mart,” Natalia said. “The response was so overwhelming that they have set a new goal of 280 pairs, enough for both the BVO and the Golden Town Outreach programs.”
Natalia, Karissa, and Tristan are concerned that too many children don’t have warm socks. “Warm socks are a must, especially in the cold winter weather,” Natalia said. “Feet are not something you can cover up like bare hands tucked inside your coat sleeves.
“Last year’s drive was for clothing for an indigenous community in the area. We like to mix it up by filling the need wherever it is. This year, the need is for socks.”
Donations of socks will continue till Friday, December 8.
Photo: Members of the Georgian Bay Community School student council (l-r) Tristan Ploeg, Natalia Heinke, and Karissa Bowins model some of the colourful socks that have been collected to date for the Beaver Valley and Golden Town Outreach programs to provide needy children with warm socks. The council’s goal is to collect 280 pairs by December 8.
