After finding many unwanted hygiene products in his closet, freshman Jack Tift decided that, rather than throwing them away, he should give them to someone in need. Thus––after teaming up with sophomore Mel Ikola––the BSM hygiene drive was born.

With the help of campus minister Mike Jeremiah, Tift and Ikola placed boxes in every religion class and the office for students and teachers to donate hygiene products to be taken on the Guatemala Mission Trip this summer. According to Ikola, the hygiene drive is looking for any type of hygiene product: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soap, soap bars, feminine products, deodorant, mouthwash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and floss.

The students going on the Guatemala Mission Trip will take the donations made during the hygiene drive to the children in the orphanage they will be working at. “I did the hygiene drive to benefit the children in Guatemala. [Hygiene products] are what people usually don’t think about and are really one of the most expensive things,” said Ikola.

As well as providing aid to children in need, the religion class or office that has the most hygiene products donated will win the Golden Shampoo Bottle. “It’s more than just a shampoo bottle. It’s a hygiene trophy,” said Tift.

The hygiene drive started the week before spring break and lasted through April 9. Ikola and Tift plan to make the drive an annual event. “We’re going to try to do it every year. Kids won’t last on just a little bit of products. They need [hygiene products] constantly,” said Tift.

Elizabeth Tiffany, staff writer