With the weather cooling down and snow starting to appear on the ground, the atmosphere around OHS begins to rapidly change. The sound of bells and carols can be heard around town,

and people seem to be in a more chipper mood for the holidays. Many students are also in a more giving mood. It almost seems that as the weather gets colder Minnesota hearts get warmer.

As OHS just raised $7069.08 for the Hope for Haiti organization, many students are now donating their time to help others in Steele County. One way they do this is by volunteering to ring bells for the Salvation Army. The bell ringers raise money for our local Salvation Army. Three students who chose to volunteer to ring bells, sophomores Kenna Brown, Alyssa Cicero and Lainy Boedecker, had the same motivation. All three said, “We thought it would be a fun way to serve our community in this season of giving”. The Salvation Army relies on volunteers to ring bells for them and for people to donate.

Not only does the Salvation Army give us a cheap place to buy an ugly sweater or two, it also helps those experiencing homelessness find shelter, feed the hungry and also make Christmas possible for those whom may not get to experience it otherwise. Last year alone, according to salvationarmy.org, nearly 63,000 Christmas toys were given in the Twin Cities area. There were also nearly 21,000 people who volunteered. They serve nearly 500 people daily and affect many people’s lives in a positive way.

Just like ringing bells there are also many other opportunity for students to do good throughout OHS. Some examples are programs such as Key Club, National Honors Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters and classes such as YSL and AVID. These are very good opportunities to be involved in the community and help those in need. It is good for the older students to set a good example for the younger students and to spend time with them. Some ways they can do this is by joining Big Brothers, Big Sisters and also by taking the class YSL. YSL, also known as Youth Service Leadership, places high school students at local elementary schools during most school days and lets the high schoolers become an influence on the younger students. These clubs are not only active during this more giving season but also all year round.

Tis’ the season and please donate this holiday season!

For more information on the Salvation Army in Minnesota you can visit http://salvationarmynorth.org/