On Nov. 25, the Sun-Gazette Lifestyle section featured a story about Kitty Coyne, the founder of Socks for Seniors, a nonprofit group that encourages people to collect new socks that are distributed to the elderly in local area nursing homes around the holidays.
In the story, Coyne mentioned that there were only a few drop-off sites in Pennsylvania, and none in Williamsport.
Not anymore.
Article Photos
DANA BORICK/Sun-Gazette
Karl Fisher, owner of Alabaster Coffee Roaster and Tea Co., 410 Pine St., is shown with his daughter Sabra, 2, and his aunt, Judy Mick, in front of the Socks for Seniors collection box at the coffee shop. Fisher’s mother, Karen, is collecting socks through the Socks for Seniors program that will be distributed before Christmas to local seniors in elderly homes.
After reading the story, Karen Fisher said she and her granddaughter, Sabra Fisher, 2, and sister, Judy Mick, registered with the site and selected Alabaster Coffee Roaster and Tea Co., 410 Pine St., as a drop-off site.
Fisher selected Alabaster because her son, Karl, is the owner.
Fisher will collect socks through Dec. 20 and will deliver them to a local nursing home. The campaign runs annually through Christmas.
According to Coyne, all socks collected stay in the local area and project coordinators assist in each area of the country.
"Our goal is to reach 1 million," Coyne said. "But in reality, I would like to have 300 project coordinators this year."
Coyne said those who want to help can register on the website at www.socksforseniors.com and there is no cost to the drop-off site or the receiving center.
"The story really touched me and I said, 'we can do this,' " Fisher said. "It's really neat they want people to do this for their local town and for their local community."
Fisher said that although it's only one box in one location, she hopes to continue this project each year and teach her granddaughter a valuable lesson.
"It's what you do, you do for others," Fisher said. "This is some small way to give back to those who are sometimes forgotten."
Coyne previously stated that she wanted 300 drop-off locations this year and Fisher said she received an email back from her saying there were 375.
Coyne also hoped that the organization would eventually have one million drop-off sites and although that is a lofty goal, Fisher isn't deterred. "We can do it," she said. "I would love to get 100 pairs of socks, that would be phenomenal. But I'll take what I get."
Fisher said that she would like to receive enough socks to give a pair to each resident of the The Meadows, where Sabra's great-grandmother resides.
"I would be glad to go into other nursing homes and I would love to see this go on," Fisher said. "100 socks is not unreachable."
Fisher said her granddaughter helped decorate the box and whenever she's in the coffee shop she goes to check the donation bin and see how many pairs are there.
"I got the word out on Facebook and I told my friends in church," Fisher said. "But I wanted others who read the article to know about it so they can help."
