There aren’t any true losers in a competition to see who can support charity the most, but the U is still trying to crush the Cougars by donating more food than Brigham Young University in the Rivalry Week Food Drive.
Leading up to the highly-anticipated football game between the U and BYU, the Student Alumni Board is heading the annual food drive competition between the two schools. Last year, even though the U lagged behind its rival in food donations by nearly 36,000 pounds of food, U students donated about $12,000 more in change than BYU.
Brent Schmidt, president of the Student Alumni Board, said he understands that students don’t typically carry cans of food around in their backpacks, so monetary donations are welcome.
“The quest is over in both the food drive and football competition,” Schmidt said he wanted to tell BYU. “We’ve got some great events this year. They may beat us in food pounds raised most years, but we always dominate in money. We feel like this is the year for the U to sweep the Y in food, money and football.”
The food and money that is collected at the U will be donated to the Utah Food Bank to assist people and families who are in need throughout the winter months.
Because of the economy’s recent downturn, the Utah Food Bank has reported food shortages earlier this year than is typical for the organization.
“We like this competition, because it is a fun way to help our communities. All the items raised go to a good cause,” said Brynn Whitchurch, an executive assistant at the Alumni House. “But we’ll do what we can to raise the most.”
The food that BYU collects will be donated to the Community Action Services and Food Bank in Utah County, a center that serves residents in Wasatch, Summit and Utah counties.
The U Alumni House has a simple goal for the food drive this year8212;to raise more food and money than BYU. To do that, Whitchurch said it will take the support of students and alumni leading up to the Nov. 22 rivalry matchup at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Students will collect food from neighborhoods around the Salt Lake Valley as well as at the stadium on game day. There will also be donation barrels in buildings across campus.
Schmidt said dollar donations tend to go further than canned donations because the Utah Food Bank could use the funds in ways that will best serve its needs. To encourage participation, the Alumni Association is accepting monetary donations online and at the gates of Rice-Eccles Stadium.
There will also be a Rivalry Roll, where students can donate a dollar to sponsor a tennis ball that will roll down the HPER Highway to the Marriott Library plaza. Schmidt said the owner of the ball that crosses the finish line first will receive a half-tuition scholarship for the 2009 Spring Semester. All proceeds will go toward the food drive.
For more information or to get involved in the drive, contact the Alumni Association at 801-581-6995 or visit them online at www.alumni.utah.edu.