Shael Davidson stands beside his "Shael's Socks From Santa" donation box in the Pass Herald Office on November 1st, 2012.
LINDSAY GOSS
Pass Herald Reporter
Local boy Shael Davidson, with help from his father, Mike, will be collecting pairs of socks for area children who need them this winter season.
Through a charity drive named “Shael’s Socks from Santa,” donation boxes will be set up at various locations around the community where people can donate new pairs of socks and other basic needs items.
Last Christmas, five year-old Shael collected more than 450 donations of brand new socks, toques, mittens, kids underwear and toys. This year he hopes to break the record.
“I want to keep people’s feet warm,” said Shael. He added that he believe everyone should have warm feet at Christmas.
Shael got the idea for “Shael’s Socks From Santa” while watching a television program about recycling in different parts of the world. He became intrigued by the image of a young boy who was picking plastic containers out of a pile of garbage in a third-world country, when he noticed the bare had dirty, bare feet. Shael was not used to the image of a young boy without socks.
Davidson explained to Shael that there are a lot of people in the world who are less fortunate, including people in his own community.
Upon hearing about this, Shael immediately wanted to make a change. Collecting pairs of socks for other children in the community would make this change.
Initially calling on donations from family members, Davidson soon realized the potential of a larger charity drive.
“We wanted to get local kids involved in helping others,” said Davidson. ”It was a real success last year. We’re hoping that it will grow even bigger this year.”
After meeting with the Crowsnest Pass Food Bank Society last year, Davidson learned that several local charities are also in need of donations of other unused basic needs items such as toothbrushes, boys and girls underwear, hats, pajamas and mittens, for kids ranging from newborns to teenage.
These items can be dropped off at donation boxes, which are presently set up at various locations around the community, including Copy Magic, Kid’s Kollege, Remedy’s RX, The Crowsnest Pass Herald, Brighter Futures, The Crowsnest Pass Promoter, York Creek Lodge, The Bargain Shop, Rexall, Mountain Radio, the Blairmore Post Office, Horace Allen School, the Crowsnest Pass Food Bank, Parent Link Centre and The Women’s Resource Centre.
The boxes will be collected the week before Christmas.
After being collected, items will be taken to the Crowsnest Pass Food Bank, where they will be distributed to families in need.
