BY RAEGAN NEUFELD
The Fort Hays Honor Society is an organization to which students are invited based on their academic success. Once students become a part of the organization, they then start to work together to make a difference on campus and in the community. In order to accomplish this, there are four different committees that students can be a part of. These include academic, community service, fiscal, and outreach.
“It provides a community for students to relate to others and make an impact on our campus and community,” Community Service Committee Coordinator Hannah Wiebe said.
The most recent project organized by the Community Service Committee was a coat drive, which started on November 1st and will end on December 3rd.
While this is the first time the Committee has sponsored a coat drive, they have done numerous other projects, such as local trash clean-ups and writing letters to nursing home residents. The Committee also takes part in Disability Awareness Week, hosting different events with other campus organizations.
“Each month the Community Service Committee is supposed to develop and sponsor an event,” Wiebe said. “This is the first year that we’ve done a coat drive that I know of, so we’ll have to see if we do it again in future years if it’s a successful event.”
Businesses and local churches were contacted in order to set up donation bins and promote the coat drive. Tigers in Service is also promoting the event to their members as well.
Wiebe also said that they contacted Forsyth Library and the Hays Community Assistance Center, because the donated coats will be taken to those two locations.
“The coats will either go directly to Fort Hays students, because we will be placing a majority of them by the Tiger Food Exchange in the library, or if there’s children sizes or an excess of coats, we’ll be sending those to the Hays Community Assistance Center. So it all goes back to our community and campus,” she said.
Wiebe also spoke about why donations are important.
“I think it’s really important to be grateful for what you have, and acknowledge what you can give to others,” she said. “Some people aren’t as fortunate. Something as simple as a coat can give somebody warmth and make them feel loved and valued throughout the season even when they may not be able to afford it, which is just a really important act of kindness.”
Drive locations include the Memorial Union, McMindes Hall, Breathe Coffee House, Celebration Community Church, and the Comeau Catholic Campus Center. Coats can be donated at any of these locations and will be taken through December 3rd.