Giving the Basics Drive Continues

Photo by Ellen Swanson

Giving the Basics, the local fundraiser between East and South, began Feb. 6, and comes to a close the day of the East vs. South basketball game on Feb. 24. The healthy competition was organized to mend the timeworn rivalry and to raise awareness for the families who can’t afford vitals such as toilet paper and shampoo.

Each of the three weeks students will focus on different items for three weeks: shampoo, deodorant, and toilet paper respectively. Giving the Basics locally distributes the items to families through East and South

While East is taking the fundraiser week by week, South started before East, and already finished all four weeks of collecting. South finished with 2,157 loads of laundry detergent and 278 bottles of shampoo compared to East’s collection of 5,657 loads and 98 bottles of shampoo. Feb. 13-18, East students will collect deodorant for the remaining week to complete with competition while South students completed their deodorant week cycle and rounded up 134 sticks.

The last week leading up to the East v. South basketball game, students will be collecting toilet paper.

“We decided toilet paper should be last because it’s one of the easiest, and it’s the one that’s needed most by families.” pep club executive Bennett Hense said.

Families that have students attending East can go in and write down what they need, and pick up products from the SHARE room.

The winning team receives a plaque which pep execs hope carries on the competitive aspect of the charity tradition. “We hope that it will be carried out every year from now on.” Hense said.

“Personally, I feel like this is really good for our rivalry,” South pep club executive, Sam Schneck said. “We aren’t trying to take away from it because I love the rivalry and I love playing East. It’s just cool to use the rivalry to accomplish something that’s beneficial to our community as well.”