When the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, students at Bellevue’s Eastgate Elementary wanted to help – but what could they do?

Then kindergarten teacher Kelye Kneeland found information on the internet about Eileen Cho who was working with the international students organization at Bellevue College on the same question. The answer? Socks.

When many families fled their homes, they did not pack socks. Those who fled ran in wet environments so many ended up with wet socks or no socks at all.

The Red Cross and other organizations had the big stuff covered: food, medicine, rescue, etc so the focus shifted to the little things. And, a new pair of socks can be

kept and cherished forever.

At Eastgate, a class of kindergarten students and a class of third grade students launched in to action to lead a sock drive at the school. The students packed socks in individual Ziploc bags on two afternoons and in nine days had 1,500 pairs of socks ready for shipment to Japan.

It was, Kneeland said, “a community effort in every sense of the word.”

The Japanese parents came forward to volunteer to translate letters, written by children and families to include with the socks.

The kids wrote sweet and thoughtful notes, Kneeland noted. Some included photos. “Dear friend in Japan”, wrote a kindergarten boy. I hope you are warm and like your socks. I am six and I like you. Love, Fabien” “Dear Friend in Japan, My name is Sydney. I lost a tooth. I hope you breathe good air.”

“The kids took a step in the direction towards learning what it means to be global citizens,” Kneeland added. “In the process, we worked together as kids parents and teachers from various parts of the city and world to do a small thing to ease the burden of others.”

The socks are expected to arrive in Japan. So, too, will the message of hope and caring from kids in Bellevue, and their kind and generous families who value giving them the opportunity to communicate care and concern to others.