TODAY: THM Travel Club sponsors Warming Heads, Hearts and Hands

BY JESSALYN KIRCHHOFF

This afternoon, the Fort Hays State University THM Travel Club is sponsoring Warming Heads, Hearts, and Hands in an attempt to collect 150 hats, scarfs, and gloves for four Hays Elementary Schools. The volunteer shifts are one hour long, starting at 9:00 a.m. and ending at 4:00 p.m. The event is taking place at the Dollar Tree, located at 2918 Vine Street in Hays and all are welcome to volunteer and/or donate.

THM Travel Club’s Community Liaison Megan Hackney-Demirci touches on how today’s Warming Heads, Hearts, and Hands event was planned. 

“I found that the elementary schools had a need for warm attire for recess. Some students need hats, scarves, and gloves based on their family’s income,, but many just forget to bring them to school,” Hackney-Demirci said. “This donation event will allow for students and teachers to stay warm during cold recesses.”

President of the THM Travel Club Meagan Ritsema explains how the THM Travel Club tries to prioritize utilizing the required community service hours a club has to obtain within the Hays community. 

“As an on-campus club, we are required to have a certain number of service hours, and we love for these hours to be served within our community and altogether as a club,” Ritsema said. 

Ritsema expands on this idea by stating that volunteer service is an opportunity for students to give back to a community that gives so much to the college. 

“As college students, we come to the city of Hays and benefit from the resources of the university and town but may not contribute as much economically as other full-time working citizens would,” she said. “In the THM Travel Club, we realize that community service is a way that we can give back to this community as a thank-you for all it gives to us.” 

Unfortunately, the THM Travel Club will not be collecting donations outside of the times today, but Hackney-Demirci encourages people to drop items off at the school throughout the winter as the supply will diminish over time. The main contact person for the Warming Heads, Hearts, and Hands event is Megan Hackney-Demirci. For more extensive information or to volunteer during the remaining slotted time today, contact her at mrhackneydemirci@mail.fhsu.edu.