Thanks to the Fifth Grade Student Council and all who supported their effort at Herkimer Elementary School, October turned into Socktober.
Student Council members and their advisors, teachers Barb Macri and Heather Denton, organized the Socktober collection, and Herkimer Elementary School classes competed to see which class could collect the most socks.
Students enjoyed helping organize the collection and donation of the socks and hearing how they will be used, Macri said.
“It made us feel appreciative that we were able to do something like that,” Macri said. “I think it’s definitely something we’re going to do every October going forward.”
Overall, Herkimer Elementary School collected more than 1,500 pairs of socks – with half going to Catholic Charities of Herkimer County and half going to Loaves and Fishes Warming Center in Herkimer.
Catholic Charities of Herkimer County Executive Director Maureen Petrie and Loaves and Fishes Warming Center Program Director Christine Lawrence visited Herkimer Elementary School on Friday, Nov. 14, to receive the donations.
The class that collected the most socks was the prekindergarten class of teachers Jennifer Sexton and Sarah Hussein with 220 pairs of socks, and the class will receive a pizza party. The Student Council also received an anonymous donation of more than 300 pairs of socks during Socktober.
As the pairs of socks poured in each week of October, the Student Council had more socks than expected.
“When we realized that we had so many, that’s when we realized we should partner with more than one organization,” Denton said.
The advisors were happy they were able to keep the donations local and appreciative that students got to see the organization representatives in person to hear that the socks would be put to good use, Denton said.
“I think it was great for the kids to get to see it come to fruition,” Denton said.
Students heard about how the organizations will utilize the socks – including for homeless people and just making them available to others who need to stop in and get a warm pair of socks, Macri said.
“It was nice for the kids to hear that,” Macri said. “You could see it sink in to the kids – like, ‘Wow, we really did something great.’”
The advisors said the Fifth Grade Student Council not only plans to bring back Socktober in 2026 but also will be getting involved with additional community projects this school year.
“We’re going to try to do direct our Student Council more to the community,” Macri said. “Since Student Council is supposed to be leadership-focused, we’re going to take more of a leadership role in the community.”
Herkimer Central School District Fifth Grade Student Council members pose on Friday, Nov. 14, with their advisors, teachers Heather Denton (back, left) and Barb Macri (back, right), along with more than 1,500 pairs of socks they collected at the Herkimer Elementary School during their Socktober initiative.
Herkimer Central School District Fifth Grade Student Council members pose on Friday, Nov. 14, with Catholic Charities of Herkimer County Executive Director Maureen Petrie (back, right). The Student Council led a Socktober initiative at Herkimer Elementary School that resulted in more than 1,500 pairs of socks being collected. Half of the socks were donated to Catholic Charities of Herkimer County, and half were donated to Loaves and Fishes Warming Center.
Herkimer Central School District Fifth Grade Student Council members pose on Friday, Nov. 14, with Loaves and Fishes Warming Center Program Director Christine Lawrence (back, right). The Student Council led a Socktober initiative at Herkimer Elementary School that resulted in more than 1,500 pairs of socks being collected. Half of the socks were donated to Catholic Charities of Herkimer County, and half were donated to Loaves and Fishes Warming Center.