The National Honors Society hosted their final K-State suites football volunteering opportunity this past week on Friday.

Altogether, they have participated in five events this school year with around 55 volunteers from Manhattan High. In total, NHS received around $6,000 in scholarship and club money for their services.

“The money is going to be used for … primarily scholarships for NHS students,” club sponsor Robin Mall said. “We also are going to have a holiday family and … because of where I work in the school [as a nurse], I will become aware of situations with students where their parents have a hard time paying for this and that, and so we have taken the money out of our funds and [allowed for] students helping students.” 

To begin their day of service, students wake up early to arrive at the suites by 7 a.m. and stay until 3 p.m. In addition to the money raised, students can receive service hours for the Distinguished Service Program.

“I would [recommend this volunteer opportunity] because you get a lot of hours and it’s not very stressful,” junior Kenzie Cramer said. “The advice I would give [students] is [to] make sure to get enough sleep the night before.”

Volunteers help set up and stock the buffet line as well as plate the food for fans.

“I learned how to work with new people and being able to work in a new environment,” Cramer said.

Some of the safety procedures — in addition to masks and gloves — utilized that made the volunteering experience different from previous years was an entirely employee-served assembly line.

“There were some plastic, clear coverings over the food so we could reach it but the guests couldn’t,” junior Rachel Corn said. “We passed the plates among ourselves and then gave them to the customer at the end … There were just a lot of things that normally people in the suites could’ve grabbed for themselves that we had to hand them instead.”

Responsibilities for the student were low-stress and made for a fun volunteering opportunity.

“I was able to do it with my friends … and everyone who works there was really nice to us,” Corn said. “It was never anything difficult or annoying or anything, so it was really fun to just spend the day with my friends and get some service hours out of it.”

NHS next plans to provide for holiday families in the spirit of the upcoming festivities.

“[Students] will volunteer their time to go shopping and then wrapping the gifts,” Mall said.