Oct. 31--When Molly Glynn died in a tragic freak accident in September, Beth Lacke wanted to pay tribute to her friend in a way that truly reflected the late actor's reputation as a "connector" of people.
"She always had a smile, a hug, an encouraging word and would be the one to come to your show and tell you how great you were," said Lacke, also an actor. "She brought people together, and that spirit is in this project."
The endeavor is called The Woolgathering Project -- a way to get socks on the feet of as many of Chicago's homeless as possible. Last winter, during the infamous polar vortex, the two friends put out a plea that spread throughout the city's tightknit theater community, receiving hundreds of pairs of hosiery.
On Saturday at a Chicago bakery, Lacke will be collecting again -- this time, not only for those living on the street but also as a way to honor her friend, who died of injuries when a tree fell and struck her while she was riding her bike with her husband, actor Joe Foust.
It was Foust, while working on "A Christmas Carol" at the Goodman Theatre, who started handing out socks whenever he came across someone huddled in a doorway or an alley with ankles exposed.
Then, Glynn and Lacke shared an appreciation of one of life's small but sublime pleasures.
"We were sitting on her couch watching 'Love, Actually' ...and just talking about how much we love our socks," Lacke recalled.
This seemingly trivial observation gave way to some big ambitions. Glynn used her wide network of friends and family, promoting The Woolgathering Project on Facebook. The duo would go anywhere -- bars, coffee shops, homes -- to get donations.
Lacke recalled one effort at a neighborhood pub during a bitterly cold evening in which they settled into a booth, thinking they might get a few dozen pairs. Instead, they were inundated with offerings -- new and gently used argyles, stripes, plaids -- within a couple of hours.
"It was 25 below zero, and people just came out of the woodwork ... someone even shipped their socks from Los Angeles," Lacke said. "It was such a powerful experience ... because it was a lesson in how something so small can make such a difference."
Last year, they distributed their socks haphazardly to a shelter here or there. This year, Lacke wanted to outsource the job to someone who could do it more systematically.
She recalled a Tribune story about a Park Ridge man, Patrick Angelo, who brought hamburgers to Chicago's homeless. The story, published last Thanksgiving, dubbed him the "Angel of Lower Wacker."
"When I heard about his work, I even wrote down his name," Lacke said.
After Lacke finally reached out this week, Angelo said he was thrilled with the offer.
"Socks are something we always need ... because they get wet," he said. "Some of my guys put plastic bags over their shoes, trying to try keep their feet warm. They start unlacing their shoes as soon as they see me coming."
The Tribune story brought Angelo some other media attention, including an appearance on the "Steve Harvey" TV talk show. But better than buzz was the fact that other Chicagoans stepped up to help fulfill his mission. Angelo would deliver his hamburgers twice a week during the winter, but now every night of the week is covered with people dispensing food, blankets, hand warmers and other provisions, he said.
Glynn's death sent a ripple through the local theater community. The 46-year-old appeared in "Tom Jones" at Northlight Theatre and also played an ER worker in "Chicago Fire."
Lacke, whose TV credits include "Mind Games" and "Chicago P.D.," couldn't make it home for Glynn's memorial and felt as if she "never got to say a proper goodbye."
Saturday's event represents a small step in healing. Lacke will be taking socks from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Blue Sky Bakery Cafe, 3720 N. Lincoln Ave.
"I hoped that when The Woolgathering Project collected again, we could help even more of the city's homeless. ... I just had no idea that I'd be doing it without Molly."
brubin@tribune.com
Twitter @bmrubin
