When Statesboro’s sweltering summer temperatures cool to the unpredictable winter weather, some students find themselves at a loss for warmer clothing.

Georgia Southern University’s Staff Council has been working to collect winter clothing to give to those students who are in need during the cold months, and today is the final day for disbursement.

“[The warm clothing drive] came from a felt need. A couple years ago someone came up with the idea, and we decided that it would be a good idea to try and give back to the Georgia Southern community,” Kendria Lee, staff council chair-elect and information analyst, said. “Often times we give out. We do fundraising events, and the money goes out, but we decided it would be beneficial to give inward to the Georgia Southern community.”

Within the past two months, donation boxes have been set up around campus collecting gently worn winter clothing such as coats, long sleeve shirts, jackets, scarves and mittens, Bo Galvin, staff council chair and Chick-Fil-A manager, said.

These items are being disbursed now to any Georgia Southern faculty, staff and student to use as the cold days approach, Galvin said.

“Last year we had the distribution date later. It was after the semester had ended, but this year we did it earlier. We’re doing it this week because we want to be able to reach the students as well,” Lee said.

Over the past three years the event’s donation supply has grown from under 400 hundred donated items to over 630 items this year, Galvin said.

The clothes that remain after today’s final disbursement period will be donated to the Safe Haven women’s shelter and other nonprofit organizations to help supply the Statesboro community with warmer clothes, Galvin said.

“I just want to express how excited and thankful we are for the participation that we received from the Georgia Southern community, and their willingness to give during this time when the economy is tough, and they are just trying to make ends meet themselves,” Lee said.

Galvin said, “I think its a good way for those in the Georgia Southern community to give back, clean out their closets at the same time, but also help others out because we are the Eagle Nation.”