By CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT / Staff Writer

ALABASTER – The number one request from overseas soldiers is socks, said Joyce Bulford. And when she heard about soldiers losing their lives, she decided she could fulfill that simple request.

“They’re getting blown up and they want socks? I can get them socks,” Bulford said.

During last year’s sock drive for soldiers, Bulford, with the Blue Star Mothers of Alabama, collected 6,200 pairs of socks and enough money to mail the socks overseas.

“We really had a good response,” she said. “It was just amazing; I was overwhelmed.”

During the month of November, the following schools will be collecting men’s or women’s crew socks, or boot socks, in white, tan, black or olive green for overseas soldiers: Thompson Intermediate School, Evangel Classical Christian School, Thompson High School, Thompson Middle School, Creekview Elementary and the Thompson Sixth Grade Center.

Tax-deductible donations and checks made out to the Blue Star Mothers of Alabama Chapter 1 can also be given to the schools for the sock drive.

For more information, call Joyce Bulford at 663-2728.