It was 4:01 p.m. and the main foyer was flooded with a horde of students, waving around dollar bills and feminine hygiene products. A scene from the first Tampon Tuesday bake sale at City High School.

The organizers of Tampon Tuesday include: Hannah Murray ’17 , Elisa Swanson ‘17, Elise Heck ’17 , Genevieve Wisdom ‘17, Eleanor Mildenstein ‘17, Liz Tornblum ‘17, all members of Girl Scout Troop 8131.

Genevieve Wisdom’s friend, Nina Sachs, who resides in Chicago, is the original founder of Tampon Tuesday.

“The one that we are doing is just a branch off of that organization[started by Nina],” Elisa Swanson ‘17 said.

Students could trade a tampon, pad, or one dollar in exchange for a cookie or cupcake, some sporting a uterus decoration.

The collected tampons and pads will be donated to local organizations, including women’s shelters, and possibly the new City High food pantry. All of the money donated will be accumulated over time and then donated to an organization called AfriPads. AfriPads raises money to buy reusable sanitary products for women in developing countries. According to AfriPad’s website, their menstrual kits, which can be reused for 12+ months, have reached “more than 750,000 girls and women worldwide”.

“Our hopes for this project are to raise a lot of tampons, a lot of money, and a lot of awareness for the cause,” Swanson said.

In just eight minutes, 720 tampons and pads, as well as $58 dollars, were collected.

Tampon Tuesday will be held the first Tuesday of every month.

“We’re not going to do a bake sale every month, though,” Elisa Swanson ’17 said. “Next month we’re looking into renting out the Little Theater and doing a Halloween movie screening, with snacks.”

Anyone interested in getting involved can talk to the organizers about donating baked goods.