Best Foot Forward Icy Keneah ’26 turned a childhood love of fun socks into a nonprofit serving communities in Rockbridge County and her hometown of Richmond, Virginia.

By Lily Caldwell
April 28, 2026

When Icy Keneah ’26 was young, her mom would buy her fun socks before elementary school started each fall, sparking an interest that has since touched the W&L community and beyond.

Keneah, a politics and history double major from Richmond, Virginia, is the co-founder and president of Sock Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to donating new, high-quality socks to shelters in Richmond, Lexington and Buena Vista, Virginia. She and a friend started the initiative in high school, initially as a club for people who enjoyed wearing fun and unique socks. After learning that socks are one of the most requested yet least donated items to shelters, Keneah and her friend incorporated a community service mission for the club. When Keneah arrived at W&L in 2022, the organization grew into a campus-wide movement.

For the past seven years, Sock Society has paired with Caring Closet, a nonprofit that provides free, high-quality clothing to at-risk youth and their families in Richmond. Since its founding, Sock Society has donated 1,500 pairs of socks.

“Socks are the least donated item, and used socks are not reused,” said Keneah. “If we can be the ones who provide socks to any organization that supports a shelter down the line, that was always our main goal.”

“Years of Icy’s generous support has led to the collection and donation of hundreds of new pairs of socks,” said Jackie Childrey, operations coordinator for Caring Closet. “This is impactful to the Caring Closet, since this is one of our least donated items and an item of clothing that wears the quickest. This act of kindness can remove financial barriers for families, promote hygiene and boost self-esteem.”

In high school, Keneah built interest in Sock Society by planning creative ways for people to get involved, including interactive online quizzes about homelessness in Richmond and a game called “Sock Assassin” in which participants are assigned targets and attempt to eliminate them by throwing socks. Creating fun ways to get people involved has served as the foundation for future donations and the club’s long-term success.

While transitioning from high school to college, Keneah was uncertain of how Sock Society would fit into her new path, but she remained passionate about its mission. That’s when she met Danny Jakubowski-Lewis ’26, a fellow fun-sock enthusiast. Together, they expanded Sock Society’s reach to the W&L campus and the broader Lexington community.

“It’s not about how popular something can get,” Keneah said. “I think if you’re passionate about something and you really enjoy it and people see that you enjoy it, people will buy into it. All I needed was Danny. As long as one person was interested in it.”

Keneah and Jakubowski-Lewis continued Sock Society’s mission with the same approach: planning creative events that boosted engagement while serving community members in need. Their most notable event has been Sock Grams for Valentine’s Day, a drive where students can pay to send a pair of socks and a note to a friend, with profits benefitting sock donations to shelters. This past year, Sock Society distributed more than 250 Sock Grams around campus.

“Whether you’re a sock fanatic or just bought a Sock Gram once for a friend, you’re contributing to arguably the most important and underserved market regarding clothing donations,” said Jakubowski-Lewis, a business administration major from Roselle, New Jersey. “It’s not about socks; it’s about supporting those in need who lack the basic privileges we personally overlook.”

Sock Society has worked closely with organizations in Lexington and Buena Vista, including the Office of Housing and Residence Life at W&L, Goodwill, as well as the YWCA in Richmond, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating racism and empowering women. These partnerships have been meaningful in strengthening ties between W&L students and the surrounding community.

A four-year member of the W&L women’s basketball team and a senior captain, Keneah has also leveraged her teammates’ support to grow Sock Society. The collaboration has included Sock Society basketball games, where players and fans are encouraged to wear fun socks and donate to the cause. This past year, Sock Society collected over 500 pairs of socks and raised $500, which was donated directly to its partner organizations.

Keneah’s impact extends to the court as well, where she helped lead the Generals to a 31-1 record and Elite Eight finish in the Division III NCAA tournament this season. Her efforts on and off the court were recently recognized when she was tabbed to the Allstate NACDA Good Works Team. She was one of 20 winter sports athletes nationwide to be recognized for volunteerism and civic engagement.

“I don’t think I would have received that award if it wasn’t for all the people around me,” Keneah said. “I don’t think Sock Society would be successful without my team, without Danny or without any organization that has tried to push for us. It could only grow because of the support we got within the campus. It’s all about the community coming together and pushing for this organization.”

Keneah encourages her fellow students to embrace the support of the W&L community, much like she did, and pursue their own initiatives.

“If you have an idea of starting a club or have an idea of some way to give back to the community, just do it,” Keneah said. “Grab a friend, find an adviser and just do it. And I’m glad that I did, because it’s made my four years at W&L that much sweeter.”

With graduation approaching, Keneah is unsure of what the future holds for Sock Society but remains proud of the impact it has made.

“I don’t believe people think about how important socks can be,” said Keneah. “Your feet are the things that keep you up and walking straight. It’s something I believe to be very important. If I can make one person happy and comfortable or even confident, I think that’s what it’s all about. It’s rewarding knowing that I can give back through something that brought me so much joy as a child.”