According to The Joy of Socks, a donation foundation in Pennsylvania, socks are one of the most under donated commodities. The National Honors Society at Grosse Pointe South, lead by president Michael Willard ’19, and vice president Kendall Volpe ’19, sought to change that this year, with a school wide Sock Drive.

The sock drive began December 19, and ends January 11 Willard said. According to Volpe the socks will go to Courageous Souls, then will be given to some different ill children at various hospitals.

“All the socks go to directly to Courageous Souls and they distribute the socks to kids in the hospitals as sort of a little happy surprise to make their day better for all the hard times their going through,” Volpe said.

Elizabeth Naporano, the National Honors Society Director, explained that this organization, Courageous Souls, was of Sheeran’s creation. Sheeran was extremely ill throughout high school, and this is where the idea was born from, according to Willard.

“The idea was originally created by Elizabeth Sheeran, she graduated last year,” Willard said. “She tried to help give back since she was appreciative of all the help she had.”

Naparano voiced that the fundraiser was mainly student ran, and she had little involvement. She said that she mainly only collected the socks but the rest was ran by Volpe, the vice president and head of the Sock Drive.

“I’m the one that came up with the idea, I guess I’m kind of heading this fundraiser,” Volpe said. “I will also be the one that takes the socks directly to the co-founder of Courageous Souls.

Volpe also explained that the socks are a very impactful gift for the kids, who don’t get any other gifts. Naparano agreed and said that it is a very good cause for South students to support and that it is not too hard to donate.

“It’s open up to the whole school and they can bring socks,” Naporano said. “They’re going to set up tables during lunch, bring in as many cute fun socks as you can.”

This isn’t the only big fundraiser NHS does, though, as there is a huge food drive at the end of the year Volpe said.

“The main one is going to be the second annual Spring Shelter Drive,” Volpe said. “Last year it was so successful, we had 5 cars full, and the lady at the shelter barely expected half of what we got.”

It’s about more than just a gift at the holiday season according to Willard. He thinks that the Sock Drive has gained so much popularity due to its proximity to Christmas, and the reason it’s done.

“To me the holiday season is 100 percent about giving back and being thankful for the things that we have and the material aspect, but at the same time it’s so much more than that,” Volpe said. “It’s a small thing but it’s a huge impact on the kids to get these socks.”