YUCCA VALLEY – A local 8th grade student is helping those in need this season with her second annual sock drive. Elizabeth Milson from La Contenta Middle School collected 276 pairs of socks this Fall to be distributed at The Way Station’s annual Thanksgiving outreach event.
The idea for the drive started last year when Milson was in 7th grade leadership class. The 2022-2023 leadership teacher asked students to do an outreach project within the local community, and that led Milson to The Way Station.
“I contacted The Way Station and they said that their biggest need was for socks so that’s what I focused on,” Milson said. “I really just wanted to help people in the community.”
Milson decided to organize a sock drive. She created a video message to play on the morning announcements, advertising the drive and placed donation boxes in the front office. The Lion community showed their support by dropping in pairs of socks.
“Students participated but also adults, like teachers and the staff at school,” said this year’s leadership teacher Joshua Griswold.
She was able to gather 250 pairs of socks which were donated to The Way Station and passed out amongst food and other necessities at their annual Thanksgiving outreach event.
This year, despite the fact that she wasn’t instructed to do an outreach assignment, Milson decided to bring the drive back.
Milson said that she wanted to top her record last year and she did; this year she collected 276 pairs!
“It is truly remarkable that she took the initiative and organized this all by herself,” Griswold said.
Milson’s socks will be distributed to families in need on Nov. 21 at The Way Station’s Thanksgiving outreach event.