Four Year old Benitha was born with one foot. Her single mother Annettte did not make enough money to pay for a new foot. She had to carry Benitha everywhere she went, while also trying to make money for them to live. Annette brought Benitha to a clinic that provided free fitting and prosthetics. She is now walking for the first time in her life. 

International Baccalaureate students at Westerville South High School hold Socktober every year during the month of October. They sell fun socks to raise money for individuals in developing countries who have lost a leg. The IB program has partnered with the “We Have Two” foundation who provides prosthetic limbs to amputees. 

Students can view more online stories like Benitha’s and how the foundation has changed people’s lives using this link. 

The “We Help Two” foundation provides the school with fun, funky socks for many different campaigns. According to wehelptwo.com they have four campaigns, “water for America”, “socks for legs”, “socks for your own cause”, and “student scholarships”. Westerville South is doing the socks for legs option. 

IB Diploma Program Coordinator Bill Heinmiller said, “The really great thing about this is that our students are making a global and local difference.” 

Students are raising funds to provide legs for people all over the world. According to Heinmiller, the “We Help Two” organization also donates back one pair of warm socks to the school for every three packs of fun socks sold to donate to the local community as well. 

Senior IB Diploma Candidate Alex Huggins said he helps with this fundraiser by selling at the booth in the lunchroom Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. You can also go to Heinmiller’s office or go to the online page. If you choose to buy online, socks can be shipped to the school with free shipping, or shipped straight to you with a shipping cost. The fundraiser runs through Oct. 31, 2022.

For every 270 socks sold, one amputee is donated a prosthetic leg. The IB program has a goal of raising enough money for three amputees to receive prosthetic legs. This is 810 pairs of socks. So far they have raised enough for two prosthetic legs. 

According to Heinmiller, Socktober has been done before  in 2016. This is the first time in 6 years that Socktober has happened at Westerville South High School. 

Schools all over the United States and the world can partner with “We Help Two” to create a fundraiser.  The “We Help Two” organization will help school run campaigns all throughout the year. Westerville South chooses to only do this fundraiser in October.