ADAMS TWP — Two student council events at Mars High School are aimed at helping the community’s less fortunate.

Jessica Narwald, a 2001 Mars graduate, has volunteered for the past three years to lead the annual student council coat drive.

Beginning on Monday, the school will accept new or used winter coats, hats, scarves, gloves and mittens, boots and snow clothing in all sizes, Narwald said.

“We accept infant through adult sizes,” Narwald said.

The items will be forwarded to the Bundle Up Butler program, where they will be distributed to the county’s needy.

Narwald, who works at the district but is not a teacher, said she participated in student council as a high school student at Mars.

“When I heard they needed help, I thought why not volunteer and do some good in the community,” she said. “Plus I love working with the kids.”

She said the school collected about 175 winter apparel items last year.

Narwald said collecting items to keep those less fortunate warm during the winter months is a valuable lesson.

“It gives the students the perspective that not everyone is lucky enough to be able to have a coat on their back,” she said.

The public can take coats and other winter items to the high school during regular school hours.

Trick or treat

The other event occurred Monday night when student council held a trick or treat event for children up to third grade. Participants were asked to bring one nonperishable food item.

Narwald said the 250 items collected from the 500 or so costumed trick or treaters were donated to the community food bank at the Lighthouse Foundation in Middlesex Township. She said many parents and grandparents also gave monetary donations to the Lighthouse’s food bank.

“It was neat for the kids to come and get a treat, and they got a treat,” Narwald said.

Various areas of the high school were outfitted with booths by 25 clubs and sports. Costumed club members or athletes handed out treats to tots.

Adriana Mazzotta, a senior and the student council president, said each club or sport chose a theme for their booth. They also collected candy from members to distribute to the kids.

Mazzotta said student council set up refreshments, a disc jockey, games and coloring in the cafeteria for the children who participated.

She said the student council booth’s theme was “Wild Night,” which was the theme at this year’s homecoming. The group decorated its booth with jungle-themed items.

She said many of the children who collected candy were dressed as characters from the Disney film “Frozen,” and a lot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles traversed the high school’s hallways.

“Probably my favorite was a kid dressed as a minion from ‘Despicable Me,’” Mazzotta said. “It was really cute.”

Mazzotta said charitable events help teenagers develop a lasting sense of philanthropy.

“It teaches me it’s important to do volunteer work and give back to the people who are less fortunate,” she said, “and to continue to do that sort of work for the rest of my life.”