Immersed in the gift-giving season, Buena clubs and organizations are striving to give back to the community. By hosting toy, clothing, and food drives, bulldogs are spreading kindness and taking a step towards giving the community a more fulfilled holiday season.
ASB Canned Food Drive
Beginning Nov. 27, canned food has been donated by each class and collected by ASB. It was a competition to see which class won the prize: a churro truck. Four posters were stretched across the wall of the ASB room displaying the number of cans each class donated.
Seniors proved victorious in the end. Senior Kayla Madrid took the initiative to plan the drive and actively worked to ensure a successful outcome.
“We get to give back to families that need an extra set of hands to get them through this holiday season,“ Madrid said. “Students should donate because they get the feeling that they did something for the community.”
BSU Clothing Drive
BSU gave back to the community by hosting its 3rd annual clothing drive and donating to the Women’s Shelter at the Ventura County Rescue Mission. The clothing drive began Nov. 27 and ended Dec. 13, but they are still accepting donations for next semester.
“These clothing drives are important to our community because there are approximately 2,000 without shelter in Ventura.” senior Rhea Burney said. “Donating these clothes and hygiene products gives these people one less thing to worry about.”
Burney has been part of BSU for 3 years and encourages students to donate and put smiles on people’s faces.
BSU students and advisor Marcia Amegadzie personally delivered the products collected Dec. 16 to the Women’s Lighthouse Shelter, where they set up tables with the items so that people could grab what they needed.
“Homeless women are the ones who suffer the most. There are a lot of products that they need that men do not.” Amegadzie said.
Boys’ Basketball Toy Drive
The boy’s basketball team hosted their yearly toy drive Nov. 29. Every year for the past three years, if you bring a toy to the Buena v. St Bonaventure game, you get free entry. Not only was this a great opportunity to support our basketball team, but also a chance to make a child’s Christmas more magical.
“We get to give back to a lot of families that need an extra set of hands to get them through this holiday season.”
— Kayla Madrid
“As a basketball program we try to do things to give back to the community,” boys basketball coach Mathew Colton said. “As long as I am the coach I will continue to do so.”
There has always been a good turnout, and this year nearly 100 toys were given. The collected toys were then donated to the Spark of Love toy drive through the fire and police station.
Through the generous actions of the students who hold and donate to these drives, a big step is being taken toward creating a blessed holiday season that can be enjoyed by all members of the community.
