Council of Lionhearts Hosts Thanksgiving Basket Drive
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Council of Lionhearts is helping Centre County families in need this Thanksgiving.
The Council of Lionhearts is hosting a Thanksgiving basket drive to help put a meal on the table and bring families together. The council is calling on student organizations to donate baskets filled with non-perishable food items for council members to distribute.
Joy Zhao, a junior majoring in pre-medicine and President of the Council of Lionhearts, says that the basket drive helps to spread and preserve the holiday spirit.
“I think a lot of people when they think of Thanksgiving, they think of family, they think holiday food and getting together with friends and family,” Zhao said. “But a lot of people in our community don’t really have the finances to purchase items to get together with family and celebrate the holiday season, so we want to continue it for them.”
John Sloane, a senior majoring in architectural engineering, and Vice President of the Council of Lionhearts, thinks that students should use their resources to give back to the local community.
“You’re here to learn, but you’re also here to make a difference. The resources that Penn States’ able to put forth, you know, why wouldn’t you be spending your time trying to make a difference,” Sloane said. “I think that’s an important thing. A lot of students are focused so much on this academic life but the service part of it, for me, is worth more.”
The baskets are being collected on Nov. 18 and 19 at the Centre Flex Theatre in the HUB-Robeson Center and will be distributed on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Those who are interested in donating can go to: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScqUFxHdLMq1pkUE7d3S9JIo3zlGoDWBohB0czU9v_303EcWg/viewform to see a list of items to include in their baskets.
The Council of Lionhearts plans to make the basket drive an annual event and expects to help hundreds of families this year.
Sam Marks is senior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email sdm5544@psu.edu.