From Class Project to Class Act: Silly Sock Saturdays Hosting 9th Annual Sock Hop Fundraiser This Saturday
by James Coulter
What started as a middle-school class assignment has since grown into a nationally-acclaimed non-profit organization; and this year, it’s hosting its ninth annual fundraiser.
Silly Sock Saturdays will be hosting its ninth annual Sock Hop Fundraiser on Sat. July 18, 2026. Being hosted at Venue 650 in Winter Haven, this retro throwback event will include a swinging evening of root beer floats, vintage candy tables, raffles, and other fun and games—all for the low, low admission price of $20!
Proceeds from the event will help the local non-profit continue its mission of donating gift bags of toys, games, comfort items, toiletries, and—yes!—even silly socks to children at area hospitals.
Silly Sock Saturdays started nine years ago as a class project by Zachary Kirkland. He and his eighth-grade critical thinking and research class were assigned to develop a unique idea to help the community.
Zack’s inspiration for his project came after visiting family and friends at the hospital, many of whom would complain about the “uncomfortable” socks provided during their hospital visits.
“Those hospital socks [were] the foundation of what I was able to build on for my idea: to make hospital stays a little better and to play off of the silly socks,” he said. “So, I incorporated the two of those, and I got the idea to help kids with joy and laughter through the silly socks and [other] items they might not otherwise have during the hospital stay.”
Zack delivered over 30 bags during his first trip to Lakeland Regional Hospital. During the COVID-19 crisis, Zach was inspired to expand his reach to more local hospitals, especially with the uptick in admissions during the pandemic. Since then, his non-profit has grown to where he is now donating up to 60 bags of donated toys, games, books, and other fun items to local hospitals every month.
His organization has also received national acclaim through the Disney Be Inspired Award and even a Presidential Service Award. But for him, his biggest award was the feedback and stories he received from different families and kids who received bags during their hospital stays.
“Those stories truly tell what we do and the impact it makes because from the outside looking in,” he said. “It is very hard to see the impact that the bags make on the kids in the hospital until you are there receiving one, and those stories are the best award and reward that I have ever received.”
The Silly Sock Saturdays 9th Annual Sock Hop Fundraiser will be hosted Sat. July 19, starting at 3 pm at Venue 650, located at 650 6th Street in Winter Haven. For more information, visit their website at sillysocksaturdays.company.site.
Zachary appeared on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast to discuss his non-profit and its upcoming fundraiser: Listen to the full podcast episode on Acast:
