Marksville High Student Council sponsors ‘Socktober’

While most families are looking forward to October’s frightfully fun activities of Halloween, November’s feast with family followed by the joy of Christmas in December and the start of a new year in January, some can look forward only to increasingly colder nights with no shelter.

Homelessness is not just a big city problem. It exists in Avoyelles Parish and throughout this area.

One doesn’t have to make large donations to fund homeless shelters and seek overall solutions to the problem. There are individuals, organizations and government agencies able to take on those tasks.

You’ve heard “It’s the little things that count.” That summarizes the philosophy of “Socktober.”

The first Socktober campaign started in Arkansas in 2011 around the concept that something little -- like donating a pair of new socks -- can mean a lot to someone who is homeless.

Last October, more than 10,000 schools, businesses, churches and organizations from every state and continent participated in the event.

MHS’ 1ST SOCKTOBER

The Marksville High School Student Council is sponsoring the school’s first “Socktober” to help the homeless in this area.

Student Council advisor Alana Pate said the school’s first-ever “Socktober” event is underway.

The new, never-worn socks are being collected through Oct. 31 and will be delivered to the Red Cross in Alexandria for distribution to the homeless in this area.

“We will be having a competition between all first block classes,” Pate said. “People can donate socks at the front office in the name of a particular teacher to ensure that class gets credit for the donation.”

The program not only helps those in need, it also teaches the students a lesson in community service.

While the purpose behind the effort is very serious, it is also a fun way to achieve a worthwhile goal.

This past week a small group of the 25-member council gathered to put together boxes to hold the donations in each class.

That group included seniors President Hannah Broussard, Secretary Kaelyn Simon, Public Relations Officer Kayla Ramos and Deanna Carmouche, all of Marksville, and Vice President Sebastian Gibson of Effie, and freshmen Anna Fruge and Arianna Daye, both of Marksville.

The group made short work of the task at hand, taping the cardboard receptacles together and stacking them to be delivered to the classes.

“In my opinion, a small act of love can make a big difference to our neighbors who are homeless,” Broussard said. “I’m super-proud that our Student Council can be a part of it.”

Broussard said this is a way students can show “that we care about our community and that we want to give back with this small act of kindness.”