By TESA CULLI
tesa.culli@register-news.com
BELLE RIVE — Now that the growing season is coming to a close, that doesn’t mean that Debbra Arndt and her husband have stopped providing food for area seniors and the disabled — but it does mean they have added another mission — to provide them with socks.
“Our garden program gave away over 3,500 pounds of food this season, and we are grateful for all the donations from local gardeners that helped so many have a meal to eat,” Debbra Arndt said. “Now we turn to a program we started in 1997 we call Socks for Seniors. We collect new packages of diabetic and sport-type socks and deliver them to local low income nursing homes and to group homes for special needs adults.”
Arndt said many don’t think about how a simple pair of socks can mean so much to the seniors.
“Many elderly we help have no family members to replace their worn out socks and slippers, and in many cases they just go without,” Arndt said. “We try to help as many as possible by helping one at a time.”
Donation hampers have been placed in various locations throughout the area, including U.S. Loan, Purcell Tire and Auto Center, The Medicine Shoppe and Mid-Country Bank in Mt. Vernon; Wilkey’s Cafe in Belle Rive; Peoples Bank in Dahlgren; 90.9 the Vine and Bean Capital Banking Center in Wayne City; and Peoples Bank and Banterra Bank in McLeansboro.
Arndt said the Giving Hands Garden will continue to feed about 30 people through the winter.
Anyone who would like to provide names of those who could benefit from the sock drive, or would like additional information on the garden program or the sock program may contact Arndt at 214-5160 or by e-mail at ourgivinghandsgarden@yahoo.com.
