St. Louis King of France 7th grader looks to Scripture to bolster sock drive

By BETH DONZE
Clarion Herald

When St. Louis King of France (SLKF) seventh grader Sabine Noveh was asked to lead her school’s drive to collect socks for the unhoused of New Orleans, she turned to a Scripture she remembered from one of her religion projects – a nugget of wisdom that St. Paul sent to St. Timothy: Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity” (1 Tim. 4:12).

“When St. Paul wrote this to St. Timothy, he believed that age should not determine the level of impact you have on the world,” said Sabine, 12, sharing the powerful message with her schoolmates in a video appeal for socks that aired on SLKF’s YouTube channel – WBUK-TV – on St. Timothy’s Jan. 26 feast day. 

“I agree with St. Paul’s message to St. Timothy, and I’m trying to make a difference in our world,” Sabine said. “I think this (sock drive) is important, because everyone deserves to feel warmth in their bodies and in their hearts.”

To encourage participation, Sabine decorated and placed baskets around campus to receive donations of socks for the “Happy Feet” effort, founded in 2012 by Ursuline Academy graduate and current Yale student Ingeborg Hyde to get more youth involved in addressing the basic footwear needs of those who live on the streets.

This month, Happy Feet drives at nearly a dozen schools collected a whopping 6,390 pairs of new and gently used socks for this year’s recipient – Ozanam Inn.

Sabine’s video – and St. Paul’s belief in the goodness of young people – rippled beyond SLKF. When her video was shared with the non-profit Urban Outreach, local coordinator Joshua Holder was so touched that he donated 250 pairs of socks from one of his partners in ministry – Bombas Socks.

Other participants in the recent Happy Feet effort included Mount Carmel Academy, Stuart Hall, St. Mary’s Dominican, Metairie Park Country Day, The Willow School, Cabrini, Brother Martin, Academy of the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Conception. Ursuline will hold its drive in March.