BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — A sock manufacturer in Burke County is trying to raise money for an orphanage in Ukraine.
DeFeet Company began producing special socks this week.
Someone who works for the company has friends in Hickory who adopted a boy who grew up in a Ukrainian orphanage. They said his village was invaded this week, leaving dozens of children hiding in a bomb shelter. The company decided to pitch in and help.
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Channel 9′s Dave Faherty was allowed inside the Hildebran plant Friday, where workers have already produced hundreds of pairs of the specially-made socks with Ukrainian colors.
The company said the attack forced 53 children at the orphanage into a bomb shelter with staff members.
DeFeet said it initially made six dozen pairs of socks but immediately sold out. They then produced 500 pairs but those, too, quickly sold.
DeFeet said all the proceeds from the sales will go to the orphanage.
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The company, which has been in Hildebran for 30 years, knits the socks out of recycled water bottles. They are already getting support across the country and overseas.
“Obviously, my heart is big right now because of what’s happening, but it’s not about me,” said Rob Dickerson with DeFeet. “It’s about these kids and this orphanage and how we can help them. So I’m excited that we’re going to be able to do something for them.”
The socks are being sold on the company’s website -- you can click here to access it. The company will be ramping up more production starting on Monday to make hundreds of pairs every day.
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