How many organizations have raised money for a service project by wearing funny hats? Well, that is how South’s Drama Club does it. The Drama Club raises money for a charity organization called Heavenly Hats, which donates hats to people who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment.

“I love helping out charities and doing it in a creative way like wearing crazy hats,” junior Zach Bauer, Drama Club member, said. “The fact that it’s drama club adds an aspect of creativity.”

Senior Megan Clarke, the Drama Club publicity officer, says the service project is a great way to have fun and raise money.

“I love being goofy and dressing in all kinds of weird things, so this gave me an excuse to do so,” Clarke said. “On top of that, [being] part of something that helps a lot of [people] who really need it […] it’s just a good feeling.”

Along with the Heavenly Hats project that takes place in November, members of Drama Club and the Drama 3 Improvisation class take weekly trips to The Vi, a senior citizen community in Glenview.

To prepare for these trips, students learn improvisation games in either the Drama 3 Improvisation class or at weekly Drama Club meetings.

According to Matt Miller, senior Drama Club President, students teach and play improvisation games with the senior citizens at The Vi.

“It’s really fun to see how different people think about improv, and the senior citizens are hilarious and really good at it,” Miller said. “I look forward to getting to interact with them.”

Junior Matt Chorvat, a Drama Club member who visits The Vi often, believes the atmosphere of the community is very welcoming.

“Everyone is just there to have a great time,” Chorvat said. “I remember once I had a great time with the dating game with the seniors.”

Doing service projects with Drama Club is also very rewarding, according to junior Kaitlin Lambert.

“It doesn’t feel like a service project, it feels like a drama class,” Lambert said. “At The Vi when you’re teaching the senior [citizens], it’s not like you’re doing it because you have to, you’re doing it because it’s fulfilling and fun for you.”

Projects like Heavenly Hats and weekly trips to The Vi are fun because of the people who are in Drama Club, according to sophomore Janie Kahan.

In the first year the Drama Club raised money for Heavenly Hats, it won an award for raising the most money in the area, according to Drama Club Sponsor Beth Barber.

According to Barber, Drama Club raised around $3,000 last year.

This year, the Drama Club hopes to raise at least $1,000 for Heavenly Hats.

“You get to know the members of Drama Club better; we are all one big family,” Kahan said.