Colorado State University’s Cans Around the Oval Expands to Denver, Castle Rock and Steamboat

With the demand at food banks rising this year, Colorado State University’s Cans Around the Oval is being expanded to include Denver, Castle Rock and Steamboat Springs. In its 22nd year, CSU’s annual Cans Around the Oval is the largest one-day food drive in northern Colorado.

This year’s goal for Cans Around the Oval, sponsored by CSU’s SLiCE organization- Student Leadership, Involvement and Community Engagement –is to collect more than 100,000 pounds of food, beating last year’s total of 84,000 pounds. The event kicked off Sept. 17 and will conclude on Oct. 14 with the final collection event on the historic CSU Oval.

In 2008, the Food Bank distributed more than 6 million pounds of food through programs such as Food Share, Food Link and Kids Café, to alleviate hunger among at-risk residents throughout Larimer County.

With the need for assistance continually growing, SLiCE efforts are underway to meet the demand and get the community involved. Roughly 13,000 people have already signed up to help coordinate food drive efforts.

“The need is growing at a dramatic pace,” said Keith Colton, volunteer programs coordinator for SLiCE. “We all have an opportunity to lift those up who need it the most. There is no end to what can be accomplished when a community comes together and Cans Around the Oval is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate our ability to care for one another.”

Participants can hold mini food drives, donate to local school efforts, drop off items at local grocery stores or contribute to the students visiting neighborhoods over the next month.

“We are asking the residents of Larimer County to do whatever they can to pitch in and give back to those in our own backyards who need it the most,” said Colton said. “Clients of the Food Bank of Larimer County could be neighbors, friends and even family. As we recover from a national recession, the need is greater than ever.”

More information about Cans Around the Oval in Fort Collins and collection locations can be found at www.slice.colostate.edu/cans-around-the-oval.aspx or by calling the SLiCE office at 970-491-1682.

Cans Around the Oval Expands to Denver, Castle Rock and Steamboat

Cans Around the Oval is being expanded this year with the help of Colorado State University’s Alumni Association. CSU alumni and residents of Denver, Castle Rock and Steamboat will collect canned goods for their local food banks as part of the Cans Around Denver, Cans Around Castle Rock and Cans Around Steamboat.

“This is our first year of asking our Colorado State University alumni in Denver, Castle Rock and Steamboat to not only remember a campus tradition but to have that tradition impact their local community,” said Paul Wolansky, senior director of CSU Alumni Relations.

Cans Around Denver will collect canned food that can be dropped off from 2-5 p.m. on Oct. 17 at one of the Hometown Huddle Watch Party locations. Locations include CB & Potts in Westminster and Englewood and The Whiskey Bar in Denver. The canned food will be donated to the Food Bank of the Rockies in Denver which provides food supplies to more than 1,000 hunger-relief programs. Each Hometown Huddle location has set a goal of collecting the equivalent of the weight of Cam the Ram, CSU’s mascot – or 185 pounds of canned food.

Cans Around Castle Rock will collect canned food that can be dropped off from 2-5 p.m. on Oct. 17 at the Hometown Huddle Watch Party at Fowl Line. The canned food will be donated to the Douglas/Elbert Task Force which works to meet the needs of financially distressed families and people in crisis.

Cans Around Steamboat will collect canned food from 1 – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday through Oct. 16 at the Steamboat Food Bank, 2125 Curve Plaza. The canned food will be donated to the Lift-Up Food Bank which benefits nearly 100 income eligible households with a substantial box of nutritious food four times per year.

“The Alumni Association is excited to partner with SLiCE to expand Cans Around the Oval to engage alumni and friends in Cans Around Denver, Castle Rock and Steamboat, said Traci McBee, associate director of CSU Alumni Networks. “This test program has been well received and we anticipate expanding even further to engage Ram Networks throughout the United States for next year’s event.”

For more information about the Cans Around Denver, Cans Around Castle Rock and Cans Around Steamboat, contact McBee at (303) 376-2121 or rams@ar.colostate.edu.

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