Sign language design wins John’s Crazy Socks contest
A college student from Virginia is the grand prize winner of John’s Crazy Socks’ inaugural sock-design contest.
Sierra Sapack, a junior at Liberty University who is majoring in Special Education and minoring in American Sign Language, took the top prize for her blue sock with hearts and a hand displaying the American Sign Language gesture for “I Love You.”
As the first-place winner, Sapack will have her sock design produced and available for sale in the John’s Crazy Socks online store. She is also receiving a dozen pairs of her designed socks and a gift card. Sapack has designated Gallaudet University, a school for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, as the organization to which a portion of the proceeds from the sale of her socks will be donated.
John Cronin, the award-winning entrepreneur with Down Syndrome who is co-founder and chief happiness officer of Melville-based John’s Crazy Socks, said, “I love socks and we know our customers love socks too; we were so happy to see that our customers had so many great ideas for sock designs.”
His dad and business co-founder Mark Cronin said it’s inspiring to see all the sock designs that were submitted for the contest.
“Sierra’s design sends a very powerful message of love in sign language,” Cronin said. “At John’s Crazy Socks, we are about empowering people. Sierra’s winning sock design will be available for sale in six to eight weeks. We will have a special announcement on our website when the socks are available.”
John’s Crazy Socks is a company committed to social enterprise, hiring people with differing abilities and raising money for charity partners. The company donates 5 percent of earnings to the Special Olympics and raises money through its Sock of the Month Club and charity and awareness socks for charity partners like Autism Speaks, the Autism Society of America, the National Down Syndrome Society and the Williams Syndrome Association.
