John Cronin, the co-founder and inspiration for John’s Crazy Socks, may be the hardest working man in the sock world, but he knows how to have fun too. This weekend, John enjoyed a Family Fun Day with his brothers, sister-in-law and parents. Nothing makes John happier than spending time with his family. Take a look at how he spent the day.
Origins of the Family Fun Day: A Christmas Gift
Experiences and memories last longer than any physical gift, so this year for Christmas, John’s Dad, Mark X. Cronin, gave a special Christmas gift of a Family Fun Day. He planned a day of activities to bring everyone together and keep them laughing. Given the active lives everyone leads, it took a while to find a date that met everyone’s schedule which led them to Mother’s Day weekend giving it an added bonus because the Mama Bear got to spend a day with her boys, the best give she could receive.
Kicking Off with Soccer and a Big Brunch
The day started early on the green fields of HBC Soccer as John played Special Olympics soccer. His team, the Huntington Boys Club, faced off against a squad from Kings Park. John played forward and his efforts to get in better shape paid off as he ran up and down the field, making some fine defensive plays and passing the ball to teammates to score.
When the game ended, John hopped in the car with his parents for a drive to the train station to pick up his eldest brother Patrick and sister-in-law Emily. Next stop, his brother Jamie’s place and then they were off to brunch. Mark had picked a locally famous breakfast spot, Maureen’s Kitchen, no credit cards, no reservations, but it was worth the wait. John relished the opportunity to sit between his two big brothers.
Walking Off a Big Meal
After finishing breakfast, the family headed to Caleb Smith State Park for a hike in the woods. John led the way walking along ponds and streams and over some Long Island Hills. He ran into some fellow hikers who recognized him from his appearances on local TV and wanted to talk socks. John loves meeting fans of John’s Crazy Socks.
There Must Be Some Way Out of Here
A highlight of the afternoon came from a trip to Escape Game Long Island to take on the challenge to Escape the Hidden Temple. Cast into a series of dark rooms, the family had to solve multiple puzzles to crack open locks that revealed more clues that led them to open hidden doors. No life and death confrontations, but there were frantic moments trying to crack hieroglyphic codes and crawl through dark tunnels.
Twice Told Tales Over a Fine Brew
Adventures depend on the stories we tell about them, so the next stop on the Family Fun Day took John and the family to the Po Boy Brewery for a little relaxation and libations. Jamie and Patrick are beer aficionadas and know their way around a pilsner and an IPA. Always looking to make connections, John spent time talking to Bob Rodriguez, the founder and owner of the brewery, the sock tycoon meeting up with the beer maven.
While everyone else sipped beer and cider, Bob Rodriguez turned John onto his special non-alcoholic Hop Water, which John loved.
A Fine Dinner
To cap it all off, the family headed to Pasta Pasta in Port Jefferson, a favorite place of John’s parents, for a delicious dinner and more conversation. Some of the talk turned to the family foundation that John and his family are developing to support entrepreneurs with differing abilities and to promote the employment of people with differing abilities.
John reached home around 10:30 at night after a fun-filled day with his family and could not wait to hit the sack, though he did ask his Dad what the plans were for the next Family Fun Day.
About John’s Crazy Socks
John’s Crazy Socks was inspired by John Lee Cronin, a young man with Down syndrome, and his love of colorful and fun socks—what he calls his “crazy socks.” He and his father, Mark X. Cronin, started the company as a social enterprise with a mission of Spreading Happiness™. With more than 4,000 socks, John’s Crazy Socks is now the world’s largest sock store. More than half their employees have a differing ability, and their Giving Back program has raised over $600,000 for charity partners like the Special Olympics, the National Down Syndrome Society, and the Autism Society of America. Most of all, they are Spreading Happiness™.
For more information about John’s Crazy Socks, visit our webpage, Facebook page, Instagram account, TikTok or YouTube channel. You can also contact us at 631-760-5625 or via email at service@johnscrazysocks.com.
