SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Throughout December, the Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe is holding a sock drive for its 5th year in a row, with drop boxes located at South Tahoe Refuse, El Dorado County Library, South Tahoe Public Utility District, Guild Mortgage Realtors, and two new sponsor locations at Ernie’s Coffee Shop and BMO Bank.
“These businesses that do the sock drive really enjoy doing it,” said Rich Barna, member of Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe. “It’s really been a lot of fun for them, and it’s been a lot of fun for me. I’ve been in charge of it the entire 5 years.”
The sock drive has been averaging 2000-3000 pairs of socks every year, and after collection, they transport the socks to places like Catalyst Community, previously known as Choices for Children, Boys and Girls Club, Vista Rise Collective, previously known as Live Violence Free, Sierra Family and Child Services, Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless, and local churches upon request.
“We started in the beginning of November, and we’ve got a little ways to go,” said Barna. “We’ve probably collected over 400 pairs right now, but December seems to be when the majority of socks come in.”
The Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe has been providing children with winter coats for many years now, and when the sock drive concept came to fruition, Barna said, “This particular thing, when we started it five years ago, I have a small confession to make: even though I’m the one that started it for Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe, it wasn’t my idea, it belonged to my wife. I was president of the year, five years ago, and usually most presidents come up with a project and she made the suggestion to me. So I started it and it just took off.”
Barna and his wife, Tina, worked together with other Kiwanis members to make the sock drive a successful and beneficial donation program for the community.
Now that it’s reached its 5th year, the drive’s main challenge is making sure there’s enough socks for little feet. “The smaller the better,” added Barna. “Ratio wise, we don’t get a lot of smaller ones for the babies and the toddlers.”
Drop boxes will be accepting socks until the new year, and folks are asked to donate new, store- bought, warm socks.
To learn more about Kiwanis Club of Lake Tahoe, visit kiwaniscluboflaketahoe.org
