Join Sam Buck for Shoes & Socks Mismatch Day on Thursday, April 28

Thanks to Greenwich’s Sam Buck, a 5th grader at Glenville School, “Mismatch Day” is becoming a tradition in town, spreading from Glenville School to Western Middle School to Greenwich High School and beyond.

Sam Buck.

On Thursday, April 28, get your shoes and socks ready, or not ready, for Mismatch Day for an important cause.

According to Allyson Buck, Sam has taken to wearing mismatched shoes and socks as a form of self expression.

And the habit has caught on.

Sam, who has Vanishing White Matter disease, a genetic disorder that affects the nervous system and causes neurologic symptoms, is probably the happiest kid you’ll meet.

“He’s so grateful and always happy,” Allyson said. “He makes us so happy. No matter what kind of day you’re having, he’s like a ray of sunshine. Anyone who knows him does what they can to help out.”

While schools are participating in unique ways, at GHS they’re raising money for the VWM Families Foundation through $10 donations. Allyson explained that the foundation is collecting funds for VWM clinical trials in Amsterdam. In fact, the foundation is committed to raising $500,000 for the trials and have raised $200,000 so far.

“It’s actually very promising and is working well for kids who are newly diagnosed,” she said. “Hopefully, within a few years there will be a drug to stop the disease from progressing.”

The $200,000 raised to date has come from all types of local fundraisers. Greenwich Schools and local families have been especially supportive.

There was a virtual 5K last year and the pie-face challenge has run for several years as well. The “Best Day Ever” hats have also been a very successful fundraiser.

“Every time they do a hat sale it raises a couple thousand dollars,” Allyson explained.

“Families have done small fundraisers, and people do things through their work,” she continued. “It’s often a couple hundred dollars here and there, but it adds up over time and we have three more years to raise the rest of the money.”

Help raise awareness on April 28 by going “mismatched” and use the hashtag #VWMmismatchday on social media.

On Instagram look for @SamvsVWM On Facebook: Sam vs. VWM

Or consider a donation at www.vwmff.org/donate