Every year Bingham High School participates in a local fundraiser to support charities around Christmastime. This month-long activity is well known (traditionally to Bingham) as True Blue. 

So, what is True Blue? If you are new here, *cough cough Sophomores* you need to know a few things. Annually, Bingham holds a collection of fundraisers, activities, and competitions to collect money for a local charity program that changes each year and, if you know Bingham, you know that we can’t help but go all out. 

We are well aware of the assemblies and penny-wars that usually fill the season. But do we truly know the drive and motive behind the act?

Math of Personal Finance teacher at Bingham, Marc Jensen, shed some light on why most of us naturally want to participate: “True Blue is 100% about the feeling of charity. It’s about the service of giving and it’s about the service of putting someone else’s needs above your own.“ 

True Blue is less about the amount of money we can make and more about the feeling we get when giving what we have to bless someone else’s life. Or as Jensen states, putting others’ needs above our own. Many children and families around South Jordan go through hardships, but they should never have to go through that alone. 

This year, if you’ve ever felt alone or stressed, it may be impactful to give and donate so that you can help others who are going through those similar feelings. Those lives that you lift may even be the lives of people you know.

COVID-19 has had a catastrophic impact on the world around us. The pain and financial trials have caught everyone dead in their tracks, but that doesn’t mean the struggle goes unnoticed. Those who need it the most are being impacted the worst. Jensen says, “We want to do our very best we can with the knowledge we have to be safe, to do it right, but at the same time, find ways to overcome these obstacles.”

I might add that one of the best ways to overcome that fear is through service and giving. Jensen is right, it’s hard to not live in fear in the year 2020, but there are ways to overcome it, especially this True Blue season. 

Bingham is in a unique circumstance this year and is advised to not hold large social gatherings. The administration takes the pandemic seriously, and for good reason. Though there are setbacks and canceled activities, Bingham still finds a way to contribute. As you are likely well aware, Bingham High School has revived some traditional fundraisers but with a bit of a twist.

This Christmas, BHS has used the advantage of social distancing and Zoom technology to form new versions of donation games. Here at Bingham, competition is abundant and the school spirit still thrives.

Coronavirus does not have to be the alpha of our society. The way to conquer the hardships is with love and charity.

So, next time you hear an SBO or teacher asking if you’d like to donate, consider the cause and also consider the impact.