Leechburg Area High School students host hygiene drive to benefit school nurse and community
A new competition is helping to fill a need for personal care items at Leechburg Area High School and beyond.
The Interact and BRAVE clubs have partnered to collect toiletry and hygiene items for the nurse’s office.
Michelle Ferretti, coordinator for community service and the Interact Club, said the school nurse emailed her about the ongoing supply issues in regard to hygiene products often needed by students.
“The companies would send samples and freebies, and that stopped,” Ferretti said.
Items in need include hand and body lotion, feminine products, mouthwash, toothpaste, toilet paper, soap, floss, toothbrushes, deodorant, hand sanitizer, gallon Ziploc bags and shampoo and conditioner.
Ferretti said the biggest need is feminine products.
The products are given to any student who needs them.
The collection runs through Friday, Dec. 16.
All high school homerooms and first period classrooms are competing to see which class collects the most items.
Points per item are tallied each school day and are announced over the school’s intercom.
The winning homeroom will enjoy a breakfast doughnut party.
The public can donate items by dropping them off at the high school office.
The products will be donated to the school nurse. Any surplus will go to homeless shelters.
“Any participation is appreciated and greatly needed,” Ferretti said.
The Leechburg Area High School Interact Club was formed in 2008. BRAVE (Be Responsible and Value Everybody) is a peer-led mentor and anti-bully club.
Eighth grader Samantha Cole organized supplies Wednesday during her lunch break. She said she joined Interact to help others.
“I want to give back to the community,” she said. “I want to help a lot of people out.”
Sixth graders Erik McDonald and Ethan Charles joined Cole on Wednesday with collection duties.
Both are new to Interact; the club has about eight members.
“I thought, I may as well join. It’s fun,” McDonald said.
The trio hopes to get the word out about the competition and boost donations.
“The homerooms are getting competitive,” Cole said.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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