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Be a Campus Celeb This Season: Volunteer

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Shay Trotter
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Kali Grant
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at OSU chapter.

With Thanksgiving less than a week away, you are probably busy making last minute plans and daydreaming about the feast you will be happily indulging in.

But this is also the perfect time of the year to show your gratitude and help out those that are less fortunate.

Here are some simple, yet effective ways to make a difference this holiday season (and be a campus celebrity in your own right!).

Donations
*Pop tabs: As part of OSU’s Beat Michigan Week, Ronald McDonald House Charities is hosting the very first Pop Tab Battle.  Up through Nov. 26, you can drop them off at any residence hall on campus or even bring it straight to the House.  The event is also being sponsored by Coca-Cola, which will donate $1,000 to the House of the winning team’s hometown.

*Blood: The Red Cross is always in need, and if you donate on Nov. 21 you can work to beat Michigan in the annual Blood Battle (while also helping to save lives, of course).  Their goal is to get at least 200 donors and with a campus as big as Ohio State, this should be an easy feat.  If you do decide to donate, make sure you are well hydrated and have eaten something beforehand!

*Pennies: In yet another philanthropic Beat Michigan event, BuckeyeThon is collecting pennies on the Oval on Nov. 22.  Appropriately titled “Million Pennies Day,” you can see that they have set their goals high.  So grab that change you have sitting around and help raise money for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

*Canned Goods: The Mid-Ohio Food Bank is always looking for donations, and this time of year is certainly no exception.  Some of their most needed items are: canned fruit, soup, peanut butter, tuna, canned vegetables and pasta meals in a can.  Check out their website for more information.  You also have the opportunity to donate money and, for every $1 donated, they are able to give someone in need $8 worth of groceries!

*Pet Supplies: If you are missing your own furry friend back home, think about how nice it would be to help another animal who is still waiting to find a loving owner.  Though money is always appreciated at animal shelters, they often need other things too, such as toys, treats, blankets, supplies and food.  Check with shelters such as the Capital Area Humane Society and Pets Without Parents to see what sort of donations would be most beneficial to them at the moment.

*Toys: Christmas season is just around the corner, and organizations like the Salvation Army are collecting thousands of toys to give to the children of Franklin County through their Angel Tree Toy Drive.  There will also be an NBC4 Firefighters For Kids Toy Drive on Saturday, Dec. 10 at the NBC4 Studio on Olentangy River Road. 

Volunteer Your Time
*5K Runs: This Sunday, Nov. 20th, the Ohio Gamma Chapter of Tau Beta Pi will be hosting a 5K Race as a kick-off to Beat Michigan Week and a way to raise funds for Neighborhood Services, Inc., a local charity organization.  Pi Beta Phi will also be hosting their run/walk that day but to collect money for First Book, which helps to distribute books to children in the community.

*Animal Shelters:  What else do homeless cats and dogs need?  A little bit of love, of course!  Contact a local animal shelter to see if you can even come in for a couple of hours to give the animals some much-needed attention.  It’s certain to make their day.

*Soup Kitchens: Stop by a local soup kitchen and see how you can help volunteer your time.  You will serve a meal to someone who truly needs it and have it be a learning experience at the same time.  In fact, you can even consider asking friends or family to come along with you this Thanksgiving and help to provide dinner to those who might not otherwise have it.

*Caroling For A Cause: Feel like spreading some holiday cheer this December while also helping to support children in need?  Gather you friends, family, or neighbors and sing some Christmas carols to benefit the Heart Center of Nationwide Children’s Hospital.  Contact them to receive the Kinder Key caroling kit, which includes song sheets, identification stickers, a neighborhood welcome letter, and a custom canister to collect funds.

Remember, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make a difference and be a campus celebrity.  Every little bit you give—whether it be canned food, money, or your time—truly helps!
 
 

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Kali Grant is the founding Editor-in-Chief and Campus Correspondent for the OSU chapter of Her Campus. Kali is pursuing a B.A. in Public Affairs at the John Glenn School with a minor in Communication and is excited to be in her senior year. Kali is a student research assistant at the Glenn School and is a proud member of the Zeta Alpha chapter of Chi Omega. Kali has spent her collegiate summers interning with The Institute on Women and The Salvation Army and studying Spanish in Buenos Aires, Argentina. When she’s not daydreaming about returning to New Orleans and San Francisco, Kali loves drinking coffee, talking about cats and politics, and trying out questionable vegetarian recipes.