Counselors decided to spread some holiday cheer by holding a clothing drive for students who lack the proper winter weather gear to keep warm. Located in the guidance office is a tree decorated with hats, mittens and scarfs available to all students who are in need.
Receptionist Theresa Geyer is just one in the counseling department who is helping with the clothing drive.
“After the drive is done, we see if any of our students at RB are in need of clothing, and they are more then welcome to come get what they need,” Geyer said. “Then afterward we send what we have left over to Rainbow House.”
Geyer hopes for the word to spread across the school about the drive and its importance to those in need this holiday season. RB does this kind of drive every Christmas for the past nine years in order to make sure that students have the proper clothing for the cold winter ahead, she said.
While the temperatures outside do not match what one would typically call ‘winter weather’, Komu 8 predicts that starting as early as Tuesday, those in Columbia can expect to see a drop in temperatures ranging from 46 degrees at the highest to as cold as 25 degrees at the lowest. This comes as a sudden shift from current temperatures Monday being around 70 degrees.
Junior Grant Crockett, who has never seen a school do a clothing drive before and didn’t know counselors were, is happy to see charitable efforts this holiday season.
“I think it’s a great idea, and I think more people should donate so that everyone can keep warm this winter,” Crockett said.
While Crockett doesn’t personally in need this holiday season, he has donated clothes to his church’s, Forum 8, clothing drive and understands the importance of these events.
Director of Counseling Betsy Jones shares Crockett’s appreciation for taking care of the local need.
“If there is a report of kids who need clothing then we see what we can help with,” Jones said, “we even have a closet filled with coats from the PTSA if needed.”
While the whole counseling department is taking part in the Hat/Mitten/Scarf tree, Jones is in charge of the drive and takes any leftover clothing to Rainbow House. The Hat/Mitten/Scarf tree starts the week after Thanksgiving break and lasts until right before winter break. Students may come and pick what they need from the tree, and if more assistance is required then students may ask the front desk.
Geyer does not know how many kids are benefitted each year by the Hat/Mitten/Scarf tree but agrees with Jones that any problem in RB no matter how small should be fixed.
“There’s usually only a handful of kids who are in need but we still need to those kids because this is our community,” Jones said.
Have you given to a brighten the month? Where was it?