Courtney Nathe

Name:Courtney Lynn Nathe
Age: 15
Location: San Antonio, Florida
Occupation: Founder of S.O.C.K.S.; Miss Pinellas County’s Outstanding Teen

Courtney Nathe created Students Organizing Cancer (Patients) Krazy Socks, or S.O.C.K.S., as the result of her winning the Girl Scout Gold Award. As the highest-level award for a girl in scouting, Courtney knew she wanted to dedicate it to something close to her heart.

“Having had several members of my family affected by cancer, and based on my involvement with the Relay for Life, I knew I wanted to do something to support cancer patients,” Courtney explains. Her troop’s prior involvement with cancer organizations, and her family history, made Courtney’s healing and compassionate Gold Award project a no-brainer.

“As I was looking on how to assist patients, I came across the benefits of therapeutic socks. I was so excited. My cousin, Henry, had just given me a package of crazy socks for Christmas, and on the package was a red name tag that said, “Hello, I am a sockaholic.” Even though it was just a simple gift from my cousin, this really made my day. I decided I would work to educate people on the need to support cancer patients and their families, and to host sock drives,” Courtney says.

Her S.O.C.K.S. group collects aloe-infused moisturizing socks that soothe skin following chemotherapy, socks that aid with circulation for diabetics, and funky-patterned socks just for fun and to lift patients’ spirits. Courtney’s group has helped to collect and donate over seven-hundred pairs of socks for the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge in Tampa, Tampa General Hospital, All Children’s Hospital in Saint Petersburg, and Saint Jude’s Hospital in Tennessee.

Throughout all of her hard work and charity planning, Courtney never forgets the group that brought her to focus on making the feet of the sick feel good, the Girl Scouts.

“Girl Scouts is a great experience for girls,” she gushes. “Through scouting, girls build lasting friendships and a strong sense of family, and scouting helps you figure out where you want to go in your life.”

Courtney has found a lot of success in having so much fun, she’s earned the Bronze Award after her troop worked to make a can house to collect aluminum cans for Habitat for Humanity, the Silver Award after she and her sister built a chicken coop at our elementary and middle school for children who wanted to show chickens at the fair but had nowhere to house them, and the Gold Award for her establishment of S.O.C.K.S. On top of all her Scouts duties, Courtney doesn’t just take care of her homework for her four Honors classes, she also takes care of a live steer, which she plans on showing at the local fair! “I have been showing a steer for many years as a member of the Future Farmer’s of America and 4- H before that,” she says. “I’ve also shown hogs and chickens.”

Courtney also became Miss Pinellas County’s Outstanding Teen this year, which was the result of a pageant associated with the Miss America Organization. She represents Pinellas County in Florida, and she also won the Talent Award in the competition, which she looks forward to competing in again this year. If her past record in scouting, school, or her seemingly endless list of interests is any guide, she’ll have no trouble nabbing top honors once again!

Courtney Nathe is so cool, we had to make her Sock It To Me Socks’ Cool Girl of the Month for November 2012! Thank you, Courtney, for all of your hard work giving cancer patients have something to smile about, from their feet up!

You can friend Courtney’s S.O.C.K.S group on Facebook, or just send them some encouragement at https://www.facebook.com/helpcancerpatients