BUCKHANNON – The Buckhannon Shoe Sensation placed fourth in the nation in their annual Socks for Troops campaign.

Shoe Sensation store manager Genevia Aegan said all 230 stores across America participated in gathering socks for members of the military from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2023.

“Across the United States, our 230 stores collected 46,558 pairs of socks to go back into the communities that we live in and work in,” Aegan said. “Moundsville, West Virginia, was the top store with 3,139 donations, and our store was number four in the company at 1,745.”

Aegan said she has participated in the campaign for three years.

“The community really gets behind us on this, and it’s just an exciting project to start and complete every year,” Aegan said. “We look forward to it every year and it warms the hearts of a lot of veterans and active military.”

One of the marketing sales directors at Shoe Sensation began the project because he knew socks were a constant need for active military and veterans.

“He is a veteran, and a lot of times, out there in the field, they need socks, and it’s something we take for granted every day; we don’t think about how much comfort it can bring someone that’s out protecting our country,” Aegan said. “It’s amazing so many people understand that and respond with their donations.”

The donations brought to the Buckhannon location will be distributed by members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3663. District Representative Richard Ogden and Commander Robert Kincaid said the socks would be given to the veterans nursing home in Barboursville and the VA Center in Huntington, and some will be sent to soldiers in Poland, Iraq, and Syria.

Two different groups will also distribute some of the socks in Buckhannon.

Shoe Sensation is also currently collecting socks and slippers for seniors. Distributions of the socks and slippers will take place at the Upshur County Senior Center Feb. 14.