Several donation drives on campus are helping the St. Thomas community get in the holiday spirit.
Healthy Holiday Donation
The Wellness Center’s annual Healthy Holiday Drive is slower this year than last year according to Wellness Center Graduate Assistant Casey Speaker.
The Wellness Center donates personal health and hygiene items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, conditioner, hair brushes, shaving cream and other personal care items.
All items will be donated to Joseph’s Coat in St. Paul, a store that provides clothing, household items, personal hygiene products and children’s items for people who are in need. According to the website, the store serves about 950 individuals every week.
Speaker said it is simple to participate and wants to see more people do so.
“It’s super affordable. You can go to the dollar store and pick up some toothbrushes easily,” Speaker said.
Senior Jessie Zhan thinks it is important to donate these items to people who are less fortunate.
“Toys are always fun to receive, but these are items that people really need,” Zhan explained.
People can go to either the Wellness Center or Health Services to donate items to the Healthy Holiday Drive.
Food for Fines
The O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library is hosting its fourth Food for Fines drive. All donations will be sent to Francis Basket Food Shelf. In addition to nonperishable food, the library is also accepting cash donations for the food shelf.
Since spring 2009, library patrons have had the opportunity to waive their library fines by donating nonperishable food items. One item is equivalent to $2 worth of fines.
Last semester, people donated enough to cover $1588.95 worth of fines and donated 811.5 pounds of food. This semester’s drive began Nov. 1, and the library has already collected seven boxes of items.
But you don’t need a fine to donate; anyone is welcome to participate in the drive.
Nathan Wunrow, a circulation supervisor, said, “The waiving of library fines is just an incentive for students to do so since it can be cheaper for them to donate a few cans versus paying cash for overdue fines.”
The Giving Tree
Morrison Hall’s Giving Tree is a unique addition to the drives on campus. This drive tells students what items to buy to donate. Residents can take a tag off of the tree on the bulletin board in the second floor lobby of Morrison Hall and buy the item listed.
The drive is only home to Morrison, but some students know about it.
“I don’t even live on campus, and I’ve heard of this [drive],” freshman Becky Soung said.
Sophomore and Morrison Hall RHA representative Emily Clark said, “It takes a different approach to get residents involved, but we [Morrison Hall Council] felt this sort of project would be successful because it is an easy way for students to give back to the community, and it is very independent in the sense that they can participate when they have time and do not feel obligated to donate.”
Residents can participate in this drive to help Toys for Tots and Lutheran Social Services. Some items that are written on the tree’s tags include clothing, books, toys, toiletries and gift cards to specific places. Once the item is purchased, the resident can bring it to Morrison’s Hall Director Tony Och. Donations are accepted until Dec.19.
Geena Maharaj can be reached at maha8007@stthomas.edu.