For almost two decades, Sharon Hayslett has been known as the “sock lady,” delivering socks, coats, hats and even underwear to day care centers, churches, school districts and wherever else a child, or even an adult, may need proper clothing.
A lifelong resident of the Quad-Cities originally from East Moline, Hayslett lives in Rock Island.
A licensed evangelist, Hayslett has always been one to serve, working as a leader of “Thy Loving Kindness” volunteer group and forming her “All of God’s Children Shall Have Socks” outreach.
In 2015 Hayslett was presented with an “I Have a Dream” award at the 32nd Annual Service to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King at the Martin Luther King Community Center in Rock Island. In 2018, she was presented with a Jefferson Award for her years of giving.
Her ministry may seem like a small thing, but the number of socks, hats, gloves and even pairs of underwear she has given out over the years would take a computer to calculate. There were years when her ministry handed out more than 2,000 pairs of socks.
But at age 77, Hayslett said she’s ready to retire.
Sitting at a table on Dec. 15 at Skip-a-Long Child Development Services in Rock Island, Hayslett said she’s concerned about the future of her ministry because, “No one has said that they really want it.”
