Operation Sock Monkey!

My english class was assigned an innovation project–a project where the possibilities were endless. We could do anything. Create something, do something, we just had to pursue something! Something that has the potential to make a difference and demonstrate our creativity.

My friend, Amanda, and I set out and did something that we shared a deep love for since third grade. With our love for sock monkeys and involvement in my club, “Operation Smile,” where we raise funds for surgeries for children in third world countries with cleft palate lips, we thought it would be a good idea to combine my love for sewing, our love for sock monkeys, and our passion toward the great cause, and make it into something that can not only help those children, but also bring back that sense of childhood for others–making them smile through the wonderful, cute gift of a sock monkey just as it did for us in third grade.

It was a long process. We set out and purchased thirty pairs of baby socks, five bags of cotton, hatched out the ol sewing machine and needles and got to it. Amanda was in charge of the cutting all the monkey parts while I did all the sewing. Once I finished sewing the legs, she would stuff it with cotton. As I sewing all the monkeys, she cut the fabrics and I designed the logos for our packaging.

Although, the problem with this project was that it took a lot of labor. While sewing machines do assist slightly, most of the monkeys’ parts were hand sewn. For Operation Smile, I’d do anything, so with that mindset and a lot of Law and Order, I finished. After the long weeks of sewing, we started packaging them and advertising. Order came in very quickly. Soon enough, we sold out within a week.

We sold them through Facebook and during school for $2-4 depending on the types of socks. $4 for a mystery, packaged sock monkey. $2-3 for regular sock monkeys, although extra donations were very much appreciated. We exceeded our goal by raising triple of what we had planned. Big thanks to all who purchased a new buddy. Operation Smile means the world to me and I only hope that you got a glimpse of my passion and love for it and of course for sock monkeys.