Next week, from Nov. 4-8, ITSOG week will commence. This could be an exciting year for In The Spirit Of Giving in the WCA community, as the 2019 item goal is 35,000, raising the standard from last year’s 30,000.

The order of events for the week is food (Monday), cleaning/toiletries (Tuesday), school supplies (Wednesday), socks, underwear, and pajamas, (Thursday), and soccer/athletic shirts and shorts (Friday). The organizations Westminster has partnered with include: Sunshine Ministries, the Little Bit Foundation, BWorks, African Vision of Hope, Operation Christmas Child, and One Heart Ministries. In addition to the daily donations, new or gently used girls’ coats, bikes, and Operation Christmas Child boxes can be contributed throughout the entirety of the week.

Justin Fuller, the service director for the senior student council, gives insight on a fresh aspect of ITSOG week.

“STUCO has taken ITSOG and sewn a competitive element into it, hoping that by bringing class pride into the picture, students will be excited to give more this year than ever before. Students will be competing for dress down days and a variety of special treats,” said Fuller.

Fuller also notes the time committed by STUCO to organize such a large philanthropic endeavor.

“STUCO (largely by the efforts of Mrs. Brown) has been working on ITSOG for months now, but we started to focus in on it just a few weeks ago. It has been really impressive to see what we could get done in such a short amount of time,” said Fuller.

But STUCO will not be the only party involved in the process\; the regular student body can involve itself beyond donating.

“After all the goods are collected, they will need to be organized that day and prepared to be sent off. Students with a first-hour study hall can offer their services in helping us organize those goods. Besides that, the best way that students can help is by coming to school with a heart ready to give and participate in something greater than ourselves,” said Fuller.