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Times-Union Staff Writer
If Warsaw Community High School students collect at least 20,000 canned goods by Feb. 16, WCHS principal Paul Crousore will dye his hair blue.
If that's not incentive enough, several teachers and student council members will dye their hair, too, if members of each of the classes reach their goals. The goal for each class is to raise 5,000 cans.
If the freshman class raises 5,000 cans, Mrs. Foster will dye her hair. Mr. Rudd will have to dye his hair if the sophomores reach the goal; Mr. Baumgartner will dye his hair if the juniors collect all their cans; and Mr. Kovatch will have to change his hair color if the seniors reach their goal.
But with only a week left, and having collected only 500 cans, the high school has a lot of catching up to do to see the teachers and Crousore "dye" for the cause. The canned food drive started Feb. 1 and ends Feb. 16.
All the donations will go to CCS "because their food shelves are bare," said Emily Behny, WCHS student council freshman representative. "Since Sept. 11, many schools have had food drives but there aren't as many right now."
Hillary Robinson, freshman class president, is one of the student councilman volunteering to dye her hair if the school raises the needed amount.
She said, "I'm excited about seeing a new me if they get to dye my hair. In fact, you could say I'm hoping I can 'dye' for the cause."
The theme of the canned food drive - "Can Can" - was taken from the movie "Moulin Rouge."
"We wanted something fun," said Hanna Dillon, freshman class vice president.
According to senior Kiel Beehler, student council president and a four-year student council member, the last time the school had a successful canned food drive was in his freshman year. In that year, they collected more than 20,000 cans, but it took the help of those outside the community to put the school over the top. When the goal was reached, WCHS athletic director Dave Fulkerson dyed his hair orange.
"It was a great experience," said Beehler, "and we want to top it this year. We will have people canvassing the ball games next week and students can donate either cans or money in their classroom during their second period."
If each student takes in 12 cans or $6, the school's goal would be met.
Students can take donations into school all next week. If members of the community want to be a part of the "Can Can" drive, donations can be sent to the Student Council Canned Food Drive Fund, c/o Warsaw Community High School, 1 Tiger Lane, Warsaw, IN 46580.
Beehler said, "We do it every year and it's always the freshmen responsibility to go throughout the school and encourage (donations)."
Last year, he said, they didn't fare too well with the donations because but want to do much better this time around. "We're way far away from our goal of where we want to be."
Behny said all food groups are needed.
"This is an important service project and we hope everyone will get involved and help our home community as much as they did for those who have suffered in New York this past year," said Beehler.
Robinson said, "Service projects are a part of all leadership positions so the canned food drive is a good opportunity to get the whole school to become involved in our community and it gives those of us who are organizing it a chance to practice becoming better leaders and better citizens."
Beehler said, "The community supports the school and student body in so many ways and I think I speak for everyone when I say this is a way for us to give back."
