Having done the 'Sock Walk for the past six years, the Donald E. Schick Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization continued the event this month by raising more than $10,000.
Meg Colone, who was in her first year as a co-chair of fundraising for the PTO, said the event was created after looking for a unique way to raise money for the organization. She said this appealed to them because it got the students up and moving.
"We were interested in doing something that involved an activity," Colone explained.
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KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Correspondent
On Oct. 5, Loyalsock Township School District held its fourth annual ’Sock Walk fundraiser to raise money for the PTO.
Colone explained that the students go out into the community and solicit pledges for participating in the event. She said they don't do pledges for each lap because they just want the children to enjoy the walk.
"The community is very involved in this event," Colone said. "It's not just our students."
And although the group didn't reach its $17,500, the $12,000 was about $3,000 more than it raised at last year's event. And for those who raise money, a tiered-prize system is in place. But Colone said the "big prize" for the students was an iPad for the most money raised.
The money goes toward the different activities the organization sponsors for the students.
"If there is something that the school can't afford, they know to come to us," she said.
The PTO has sponsored field trips, visiting authors and books, among other things.
But the event also is a way of getting the students active, Colone said. She said the school always is looking to teach kids the importance of leading a "healthy-action lifestyle."
As the students, decked out in their "crazy socks, walked around orange cones setup in the school's parking lot, Colone said there's a reason it's called the 'Sock Walk and not the 'Sock Run. She explained with so many children participating in one time, it would be too dangerous to have them running.
But she did admit, "It's hard to keep them from running," because of the students' excitement.
"They love the 'Sock Walk," Colone said.
And although laps don't count when it comes to raising money, Colone said they do keep count of each student's laps walked. The students have their laps marked and use them during their class's math lessons. Colone said it helps teach them fractions and added that it was a "natural connection."
But above all, Colone said the students look forward to the yearly event and have fun with it.
"The kids talk about it for weeks," she said.
