Annual tampon drive continues

by Christina Barton

The annual tampon drive began last week during Catholic Schools week and will continue until Monday, February 13. According to theology teacher and drive leader Betsy Hansbrough, the drive is held during Catholic Schools week to remember to be of service to our dear neighbor.
“[We hold the drive during Catholic Schools week] to remind us that we really are service oriented,” Hansbrough said.
According to Hansbrough, the drive has been held for about six years. The drive, run by the CSJ campers, began after they visited the Sheffield Place, a long term shelter for women who have been domestically abused. Megan Tallman, who used to work at Sheffield Place, told the campers that feminine hygiene products are not something that abused women buy.
“[The campers] decided that would be a terrific dignity of women project,” Hansbrough said.
According to junior and CSJ camper Ellie Nachbor, who is leading the drive, the feminine hygiene products went to domestic abuse shelters in the Kansas City area and places associated with Catholic Charities.
According to Hansbrough, the first year they had the drive, they collected 18,000 feminine hygiene items.
Although the campers almost gave up the drive last year after having a bad drive the year before, the number of items they collected encouraged them to continue the drive. Last year, the items went to five different shelters.
According to Hansbrough, this drive is important for students to promote the dignity of women.
“It never occurs to us that there would be people who couldn’t go to work or school because of lack of supplies,” Hansbrough said. “It’s a sort of thing that a girl’s school understands the importance of having feminine hygiene products and the indiginity of not having them.”

PERIOD POLL:
1. Where do you most commonly hide your pad or tampon?
boot: 8
sleeve: 40
pocket: 34
skirt: 9
sports bra: 7
2. How do you feel about your period?
embarrassed: 3
annoyed: 63
happy: 3
proud: 7
indifferent: 14
disgusted: 7
3. What symptom do you experience the most?
fatigue: 10
cramps: 60
lower back pain: 22
breast pain: 12
general moodiness: 28
4. Who do you tell when you are on your period? (circle all that apply?)
close friends: 54
parents: 27
all girls: 19
anyone who comes within five feet of you: 13
nobody: 22
siblings: 10
5. Who did you first tell when you started your period?
mom: 70
dad: 4
older sister: 5
friends: 5
other: 8