SACO — This holiday season, Socks for Seniors is aiming to once again warm the hearts and feet of local seniors in need.
Saco Police Department Administrative Secretary Lori Angis began an annual drive to collect socks for area seniors in need in 2015 after reading an article about a sock drive in a different community,
The local Socks for Seniors drive typically collects about 450 socks, and this year, the Saco Police Department is hoping to collect 1,000 pairs.
The drive has been announced and shared on social media, and Angis said the department hopes to keep the community engaged with periodic announcements on how the drive is doing and how many pairs are needed to reach the goal.
Socks will be collected until Dec. 20 at donation boxes located at the Saco Police Station, Saco City Hall and Saco Parks and Recreation Department.
The socks will be distributed to residents at the Scarborough Maine Veterans’ Home, the Arthur B, Huot House for homeless veterans, Paul Hazelton House senior apartments, Lord Pepperell Apartments and Evergreen Rehabilitation and Living Center.
Donated socks should be new, said Angis. Compression socks as well as traditional socks for men and women are accepted.
Angis said the staff will try to time their donation with a Christmas party or gathering and the donation becomes part of the holiday festivities.
“It’s unbelievable. It’s so nice. Everyone is so excited and so appreciative,” said Angis.
The Saco sock drive is registered with the national nonprofit Socks for Seniors, a network of sock drives across the country.
The town of Old Orchard Beach is hosting a sock drive as well, and is collecting socks at Town Hall until Dec. 21, said Human Resources Manager Fran Beaulieu.
“I actually saw the posts from Saco and thought it was such a fun and wonderful way to give back,” said Beaulieu.
She said she is working with the town’s general assistance office to find a facility that could most use the socks.
For more information on Socks for Seniors, go to www.socksforseniors.com.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 780-9015 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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