This morning as I put on a pair of warm socks to guard against the chilly floors and headed downstairs to my office, I thought about how much I cherish these socks and their origin.

Those of you who have been with me from the start of this journey may remember one of the very first Making a Difference charities we ever featured in the Femail Creations catalog over a decade ago, the Rainbow Socks Project.

The year before I actually began Femail Creations I learned about a woman in Boston named Babbie who collected yarn and knitting needles to send to the women of Bosnia and Croatia so they could knit scarves and mittens and socks to stay warm.  Babbie’s project gathered momentum and people from all over the country were sending her yarn and knitting needles. I went out that day and gathered up boxes of yarn and shipped them off.

What I loved about Babbie’s story was that, like so many of us, she saw a news story about women’s lives being torn apart by war, only instead of just being saddened or even angered by the story, she took action.

After Femail Creations got off the ground, I thought about Babbie and wanted to somehow use the catalog to help. I contacted her and asked how we could support the great work she was doing. She said that the women now had all of the mittens and socks they needed, however we could continue to send them supplies so that they could sell their excess socks back to us for sale here in the United States. Babbie’s generous idea, called the Rainbow Socks Project, not only provided clothing and warmth to the women but an income stream to help them rebuild their village, which was destroyed in the war.

I asked Babbie if we could feature the Rainbow Socks as our holiday 1997 charity in the catalog. I knew our customers would love the story and want to buy the socks and mittens and reach out to these women thousands of miles away. Babbie loved the idea and we immediately began working out the logistics of how to get that many socks over here.

Each pair of mittens or socks were knitted by hand, using the patterns these women had been handing down for generations, and each woman would stitch a little piece of paper with her name on it in the mitten or sock. No two were exactly alike but each one was a heartfelt work of art. (I know many of you would love to buy more of them right now, but alas they are no longer available all these many years later.)

Babbie used her personal frequent flier miles to fly over to pick up the socks herself to guarantee that we would get them here in time to sell them in the catalog. And then she did the same thing again when she brought the women their check from Femail Creations.

The women were able to reconstruct their village with the money we sent them from the mittens and socks we sold in the catalog.

When Babbie returned she sent me a gift I truly treasure, a letter and a piece of cloth. The letter explained that the piece of cloth was the first one produced by the loom they bought for the village using the money Femail Creations sent them. Babbie said they all called me the “good woman,” and told her to take this to the “good woman” who helped them rebuild their village.

A few years ago my husband and I were fortunate enough to actually visit Croatia. A very different place than it was over a decade ago. Dubrovnik is now a thriving and beautiful travel destination. It was a real full circle moment for me.

Babbie’s story still inspires me and reminds me just how important it is to take action when something moves us.   Whether your family holiday traditions include adopting a less fortunate family, helping stock food pantries or just taking cookies to your neighbors, this season is a great opportunity to reach out and make a difference, lighten someone’s load and brighten someone’s day.

Here’s to embracing life’s full circle moments and the magic of the season!

Lisa Hammond
The Barefoot CEO ®

I recently received an unexpected but deeply appreciated note.   A vendor from Femail Creations took the opportunity to drop me an email after reading my blog to thank me for being in the catalog and to let me know just how much that exposure meant to their company.  I happened to read the note at the end of very long day, and the sentiment couldn’t have arrived at a better time.  It meant the world to me to be reminded that the work I have been doing for more than a decade matters and has made a difference.

It was a great reminder to me to reach out and let those who have impacted my life know just how grateful I am.   I came across this video recently that is a shinning example of just that.  Maybe its because my Dad was a teacher for 40 years that this video about appreciation struck such a deep chord with me?  Or perhaps it is the season of thankfulness in the air.  Whatever moved me so, I wanted to share it with you and I hope you will share it with others.  Turn up your volume and enjoy this video!

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Blessings

Lisa Hammond
The Barefoot CEO ®

I have been ready for an update, a fresh look, a new coat of paint on the blog.  When we were discussing what new image should be used to illustrate The Barefoot CEO blog, my daughter and I were brainstorming, and she said just go with a snapshot of a day in your life…. the overflowing bag, cell phone in hand, multi-tasking, with her family waiting on her in the car.  That is the story of my life!  I can’t tell you how many times, especially in the early days of Femail Creations, my family would all pile in the car—and I would be one email, one phone call or one shoe away from being out the door.  It became a running joke for years.

I think a lot of women who are spread too thin, and trying to be in three places at once can relate!   The only difference may be shoes—you most likely have shoes on—and I tend to be barefoot whenever possible, or at least never far from a pair of rescue bunny slippers or flip flops—which I keep in the car, in my purse, under my desk, anywhere I may end up in shoes that have exceeded their expiration date—and in my case that’s only a few hours.

Lisa Hammond
The Barefoot CEO ®