Cans Around the Oval, the largest one-day food drive benefiting the Food Bank for Larimer County, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. The iconic event kicks off Sept. 7 and builds to collection day on Oct. 12, with the goal of collecting the most non-perishable food in the history of the effort coordinated through Student Leadership. Involvement and Community Engagement
“CSU has a really unique community that values supporting each other and being actively engaged,” said Jenn Rieskamp, program coordinator for the SLiCE office. “Last year we had 15,000 participants – that’s just amazing. It’s just a very special event.”
Those 15,000 members of the Ram Family helped bring in a record amount of food and cash donations, enough to provide 345,514 pounds of food to feed hungry families in Northern Colorado.
Going for another record year
The students of SLiCE hope to break last year’s record – again – this year. Groups and individuals can register to participate now at cans.colostate.edu. They choose the areas in the community where they want to collect cans and cash, and can pick up supplies to aid in their canvassing efforts at the ASCSU Senate Chambers in the Lory Student Center on Sept. 7, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
CSU faculty and staff can pitch in to the student-led event by donating and getting the word out, especially sharing on social media. Friendly competition between units, departments and colleges is encouraged!
One of the unique aspects of Cans happens on Oct. 5, when registered groups participate in CANStruction. The Lory Student Center Plaza will be filled with creative sculptures build out of some of the canned food items, and those participating are awarded 100 bonus pounds toward their collected totaled.
Then, on Wednesday, Oct. 12, participants bring all food and monetary donations to the Oval, where they are weighed, totaled and collected by the Food Bank for Larimer County.
For more information, go to the Cans website, or contact the SLiCE office, 491-1682.
