As the cold and dark winter months approach, on campus student organizations, such as the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Phi Beta, National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) and more are holding charity drives for the homeless, the LGBTQ+ community and the Salvation Army.
SAAC is a student organization that serves to voice student athletes’ concerns as well as connect student athletes with athletic faculty, the university campus and the Bexley community.
SAAC is hosting their first clothing drive in partnership with the Salvation Army to give back to the community and show appreciation for their support of student athletes and the university.
The clothing drive is open to all of campus until Dec. 2, 2023. To donate, bring clothes such as coats, hats, gloves, scarves, new socks and long-sleeve T-shirts into the Capital Athletic Center and hand them to the athletic coaches on the second floor. SAAC will also have a big collection bin during the Dec. 2 basketball game against Otterbein. Donations will receive a free admission ticket.
In the past, SAAC annually hosted a canned food drive in the spring. Now, SAAC will host an annual clothing drive during the winter.
Austin Beeler, senior biochemistry major and president of SAAC, said, “I think it’s good we’re trying to get more involved in the community because last year we did a canned food drive. That’s kind of like all we did. So we’re trying to do a little bit more, I think next year, we’re trying to set up a new foundation of doing new stuff and getting people more involved within the organization.”
Phi Beta is a professional arts fraternity that promotes the best in creative and performing arts. Michelle Costell, junior double-major in theater studies and studio art and President of Phi Beta, said, “they (members) don’t necessarily have to be good at drawing or singing as long as they’re like, ‘I enjoy going to events with these set elements.’”
Phi Beta held their Art Fair on Saturday Nov. 18, 2023 to raise money for Kaleidoscope, an LGBTQ+ youth center in Columbus, Ohio.
Costell said, “A lot of our members are a part of the LGBTQ community so it’s very close to their hearts.”
The Art Fair was open to everyone on campus. They had seven student artists discussing and showing off their art in the Bowman Student Union. This semester Phi Beta’s Art Fair featured physical art, such as paintings, ceramics, quilting and photography. These items were not for sale; instead, they were an inspiration to donate.
For the past few years, Phi Beta’s Art Fair, which is always a fundraiser for Kaleidoscope, has been revamped by their previous president, Michael Haskell. The fall semester is for physical arts and the spring semester is for performing arts, such as music, dance, theater and more.
This year, NSLS became the university’s first official chapter of the National Society of Leadership and Success which enhances students’ skills and qualities to help them become successful leaders in multiple facets, building better leaders for a better world.
The NSLS is also hosting their first clothing drive in partnership with Carol Stewart Village (CSV), a neighborhood community that aids young adults experiencing homelessness, from Nov. 13 until Nov. 27.
Jaiden Watts, junior Interdisciplinary Studies major and president of NSLS, said, “The purpose of our donation drive is to promote campus service projects and provide members of the Carol Stewart Village with clothing items for the colder weather swiftly approaching.” NSLS is asking for jackets, new shoes and socks, hats, gloves and canned foods.
When looking for a donation center, NSLS decided to partner with CSV because their goals aligned with efforts to help young adults.
Watts said, “I thought that the CSV would be a great way to reach our target audience in a diversified situation than most of our members on campus.”
