In honour of Kindness Month a class at Maple Ridge Elementary held a sock drive, collecting hundreds for those in need in the community.
Marita Haavisto’s Grade 4/5 class collected 210 pairs of socks and donated them to the Salvation Army Ridge Meadows Ministries.
February is often referred to as Kindness Month, as it is the month leading up to Pink Shirt Day across the country, a time when many schools hold different events to promote kindness in the community.
After the Haavisto’s class read a news story about a woman in Halifax who collects and knits socks to help the homeless – who often come down with medical conditions of the feet because of the cold, damp weather, including athlete’s foot, fungal nails and trench foot – they decided to start collecting for those unhoused people in need in Maple Ridge.
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The story was in the Canadian Reader, a teaching resource that includes new stories about current events written at their level so they can understand.
Haavisto noted how excited the students were to help those in need, and how grateful the organization was to receive their donation.
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To donate to the local Salvation Army go to: ridgemeadowssa.ca.
Currently they are looking for gently used men’s clothing for their shelter. Items can be dropped off between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., any day of the week, at 22188 Lougheed Hwy., Maple Ridge.
