bobdina
08-02-2010, 12:39 PM
Donated socks save soldiers' feet
By Andrew Dys - The Herald of Rock Hill
Posted : Monday Aug 2, 2010 6:50:28 EDT
ROCK HILL, S.C. — Mike McBrayer knows socks. And he knows combat.
He worked in textiles — socks are textiles — most of his life after he was drafted out of Chester County and went to Vietnam more than 40 years ago. He was a platoon sergeant in a company that fought to stay alive in jungle and swamp, a man whose job was to bring 19-year-old kids home to their mommas.
Now McBrayer is retired from textiles and he sells socks at Rock Hill's outdoor superstore, Nichols Store. It's important, he says, for soldiers to have dry, clean, thick socks.
"When I was in Vietnam, out in the bush or anywhere you were, anytime you stopped, you changed your socks," said McBrayer, who sells all kinds of outdoor boots and clothing in addition to those outdoor socks at the store.
"Your feet are an important thing in combat. In wartime, you only go where your feet take you. We would ask for food from home first, and socks second."
Then co-worker Maleah Faulk mentioned to McBrayer that she had been talking to friends at the Rock Hill branches of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion about what soldiers need while deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Everybody mentioned socks," said Faulk. "Fresh socks. Thick socks. Clean socks. The guys always need more socks."
Talk of socks turned into action for socks.
An idea called "Sock It to 'Em" — collect socks and send socks overseas to area troops — was hatched right there in the store over the sock display.
Owner Darren Nichols, who has raised tens of thousands of dollars over the years for patriotic causes and urges his employees to offer time and service, heard about "Sock it To 'Em" and said in a flash: "Every two pair you sell to send over, I'll throw in another pair."
And not just any socks, said McBrayer.
"You need socks that wick away the sweat," he said, "that move the moisture from your feet."
So, through mid-August, Nichols Store is running a special on Bear Tooth socks. The brand comes from a manufacturer that McBrayer talked with after he and Faulk came up with idea to collect socks.
Buy two pairs of socks for a soldier for $10, and Nichols will throw in a third pair. All three pairs of socks will be boxed up by the veterans organizations and sent to area soldiers. More than 100 area National Guardsmen are in Afghanistan, and this area also has other active-duty soldiers throughout the Middle East and Asia.
"It is the least we can do," said Faulk, "especially starting this week, on July 4, when we are home celebrating, and they are in a war zone where there won't be much celebrating going on."
The July Fourth week kickoff for the sock campaign is a natural fit, McBrayer said, "just like good socks."
"And when it is 120 degrees in Iraq or Afghanistan, you need all the good quality socks you can get."
By Andrew Dys - The Herald of Rock Hill
Posted : Monday Aug 2, 2010 6:50:28 EDT
ROCK HILL, S.C. — Mike McBrayer knows socks. And he knows combat.
He worked in textiles — socks are textiles — most of his life after he was drafted out of Chester County and went to Vietnam more than 40 years ago. He was a platoon sergeant in a company that fought to stay alive in jungle and swamp, a man whose job was to bring 19-year-old kids home to their mommas.
Now McBrayer is retired from textiles and he sells socks at Rock Hill's outdoor superstore, Nichols Store. It's important, he says, for soldiers to have dry, clean, thick socks.
"When I was in Vietnam, out in the bush or anywhere you were, anytime you stopped, you changed your socks," said McBrayer, who sells all kinds of outdoor boots and clothing in addition to those outdoor socks at the store.
"Your feet are an important thing in combat. In wartime, you only go where your feet take you. We would ask for food from home first, and socks second."
Then co-worker Maleah Faulk mentioned to McBrayer that she had been talking to friends at the Rock Hill branches of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion about what soldiers need while deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Everybody mentioned socks," said Faulk. "Fresh socks. Thick socks. Clean socks. The guys always need more socks."
Talk of socks turned into action for socks.
An idea called "Sock It to 'Em" — collect socks and send socks overseas to area troops — was hatched right there in the store over the sock display.
Owner Darren Nichols, who has raised tens of thousands of dollars over the years for patriotic causes and urges his employees to offer time and service, heard about "Sock it To 'Em" and said in a flash: "Every two pair you sell to send over, I'll throw in another pair."
And not just any socks, said McBrayer.
"You need socks that wick away the sweat," he said, "that move the moisture from your feet."
So, through mid-August, Nichols Store is running a special on Bear Tooth socks. The brand comes from a manufacturer that McBrayer talked with after he and Faulk came up with idea to collect socks.
Buy two pairs of socks for a soldier for $10, and Nichols will throw in a third pair. All three pairs of socks will be boxed up by the veterans organizations and sent to area soldiers. More than 100 area National Guardsmen are in Afghanistan, and this area also has other active-duty soldiers throughout the Middle East and Asia.
"It is the least we can do," said Faulk, "especially starting this week, on July 4, when we are home celebrating, and they are in a war zone where there won't be much celebrating going on."
The July Fourth week kickoff for the sock campaign is a natural fit, McBrayer said, "just like good socks."
"And when it is 120 degrees in Iraq or Afghanistan, you need all the good quality socks you can get."